Human Trafficking: Police Rescue 16 Ethiopians from a Two-Bedroom House in Nairobi

Police in Nairobi on Saturday rescued 16 Ethiopian nationals detained in a house in Kayole’s Matopeni area for human trafficking.

The foreigners had been bundled inside a two-bedroom unfinished house located about 200 metres from Kayole Police Station, according to reports.

Police said the group arrived in Kenya more than two months ago and were starved for the last three weeks and beaten when they ask for food. A manhunt for the owner of the house is currently ongoing.

The rescue operation came after area residents called for a crackdown on human trafficking, following another incident in Athi River last week, where detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) rescued 18 victims.

The 18 Kenyans were rescued on Tuesday night after detectives raided a house where they were being held incommunicado.

The DCI said the victims were set to be taken to a destination in the Gulf where they were to be sold as slaves. 

During the operation detectives from the Transnational Organized Crimes Unit arrested three suspects, Abdullahi Hussein Mohamed (32) Hassan Ibrahim Godana (35) and Chari Dulacha (40).

The DCI has warned Kenyans to be wary of unscrupulous and unregistered employment agents who have been sneaking out immigrants without any proper documentation.

“Jobseekers are advised to be wary of unscrupulous employment agents who are not recognized by the government but end up sneaking out immigrants without proper documentation,” DCI added.