Two Kenyan Girls Rescued from Forced Prostitution in India

Two Kenyan girls who had been taken to India after being lured with jobs only to be forced to operate as commercial sex workers have been rescued.

The two are currently at the Kenyan Embassy in New Delhi, India, where they sought refuge after escaping and plans are underway to have them return to the country.

“The Kenyan High Commissioner Ambassador Florence Weche, Kenya Geneva-based ambassador Dr Stephen Ndung’u Karau and I have taken the initiative to ensure safe custody of the girls at the Embassy and they will return to the Country,” Foreign Affairs Chief Administrative Secretary Ababu Namwamba told the Nation.

The two traveled to India in November 2017 with hopes of securing decent jobs high, but things turned into a nightmare.

“I’m petrified to learn that India is becoming a lucrative destination for our unsuspecting girls at the mercy of ruthless international criminals syndicates."

“These vile criminals threaten to blemish the very cordial and beneficial ties between our two nations,” Namwamba told Nation.

Alice( not her real name), said she had been
promised a job only to be forced into prostitution after arriving in the Asian country.

“I was living in Mombasa when a local pastor introduced me to his wife. The woman told me she would help me secure a hotel job in India. She even agreed to help me process my travel documents and pay my transport, which she did,” narrated Alice.

Upon landing in India, she met her would-be employer who “did not explain to me quite well my job description. He took me to a local club and just dumped me there.”

“I was so terrified and went back home. When I found him, he beat me up and threatened to throw me off the balcony. It was hell on earth. I had to endure for some time as I made attempts to bring it to the attention of the Kenyan Embassy.”

After being introduced to prostitution, her employer would take the lion's share of the cash she earned from the business.

“Food, which he promised to provide, was not forthcoming and I had to spend the little money I had to buy my own food. It was hell!” she said.

The other girl, (Faith*), says she was linked by a friend in Nairobi, who told her that a computer job was waiting for her in India.

“The friend who bumped into me in Korogocho helped me get a passport and a visa then catered for my air ticket, telling me all that was now left was for me to act.”

In India, she met her ‘employer’, a seemingly wealthy man, who took her to his house.

“He looked like a rich man and in his house were several computers. So he explained that I would be trained on how to use them later.

“He then took me to a local club and only asked me to take a seat and “smile” at men around and he left me there alone.

“It was so terrible. Sitting in a foreign club where I knew nobody and asked to smile was something very strange to me,” Faith said.

“I returned to his house only to find him with three other men. He asked me to give him the money I had made but I told him I did not have any.

“He threatened to kill me and said I would be forced to sell my ovaries,” narrates Faith.

“All my attempts to reach the person whom connected me to India have been futile.

“Only recently somebody directed me to the Kenyan Embassy where we are now taking refuge,” she stated.

Their rescue come in the backdrop of death of three Kenyan girls in India in the last one year. Two of them died last year, while the third one was killed in a hit-and-run vehicle last week. They had all been lured to the Asian country with jobs.

“We lost one of the rescued girls in a hit-and-run road accident last week. We must get her remains back home as soon as we trace her family,” said Namwamba.

“Those culpable must be arrested, tried and severely punished to render justice and deter similar crimes. We are also sounding alarm to all Kenyans that human trafficking is very real and our citizens are vulnerable.

“We caution every citizen to cross-check with us at Foreign Affairs and with our respective missions abroad before you accept to travel to some strange destination on the promise of some imaginary Canaan. Not everything that glitters is diamond,” Mr Namwamba said.