Ethiopian couple in soup for being in Kenya unlawfully, trafficking people to Libya

Two(2) Ethiopian nationals suspected of trafficking Somali nationals to Libya for exploitation have been detained at Pangani Police Station as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) continues with investigations.

Anna Abdirahaman and his wife Hayat Mohamed are suspected to have sold four(4) people including a 17-year old juvenile.

The DCI later discovered that several others had been sold into slavery after being lured in Eastleigh.

The minor had been reported as a missing person at Pangani police station vide Occurrence Book (OB) number 69/25/12/2024 after she disappeared from home the previous day.

Her parents were later informed by their daughter’s friend that she had been taken to Libya. She was living with her parents at the Nasra Gardens Estate in Pangani.

In an affidavit filed at the Makadara Law Courts, detective constable Abdirahaman Bulle of Starehe DCI offices says that the juvenile’s parents were informed by their daughter’s friend during a search for her, that she had been trafficked to Libya through Kampala in Uganda and Sudan.

Bulle is investigating case of trafficking in persons contrary to section 3 (1) (b) (5) of the Counter Trafficking Persons Act of 2010 where the two(2) are the prime suspects of trafficking persons from Eastleigh to Libya, including the minor who left home only to be taken to the North Africa country.

She had been promised to be taken to Europe only to end up in Libya where she is stuck.

Her friend shared contacts of an individual identified as Blacky, who allegedly colluded with the two(2) suspects to sell her to the country where she is said to be undergoing exploitation.

Detective Bulle was making an application at the court to be allowed to detain the suspects for a period of 14 days at the Pangani police station pending investigations.  

The minor’s relatives including KY called the contact, pretending to be interested in the transfer programme and arranged a meeting.

They were then contacted by Hayat who informed them that she had been sent to collect them to her residence in Pangani shopping Centre where they met Anna.

They were told that they will be taken to Kampala where their further transfer to Libya was to be made and were to be provided with food by the couple while awaiting the transfer.

“KY contacted his brother (name withheld) informing him where they were and momentarily informed the police who rescued them and arrested the two(2) suspects," detective Bulle told the court. 

They were booked at Pangani police station vide OB number 123/27/12/2024.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the two(2)--Hayat and Anna--are Ethiopian nationals and as such, they are unlawfully present in Kenya without valid passport or visa.

The ongoing investigations include forwarding the suspects’ mobile phones to the DCI forensics department for call data analysis and have the two(2) help detectives arrest their accomplices and rescue missing persons.

Others include liaising with Immigration Department pertaining to the presence of the two(2) in the country and obtaining a report thereafter.

Senior Principal Magistrate Justus Kituku will make a ruling on the application on Tuesday.