The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has rescued 58 Ethiopian nationals from a suspected human trafficking operation in Kitengela.
In a statement posted on their X account on February 5, 2025, DCI confirmed that the victims were discovered confined in a house during a raid by officers from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit.
“A well-coordinated operation by officers from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit and Kitengela Police Station has successfully rescued 58 Ethiopian nationals who were being held in a house near the House of Deliverance Center in Kitengela. During the operation, two suspects were arrested,” the statement reads in part.
The rescue mission was initiated after concerned public members reported unusual activity at a maisonette in the area.
Officers found the victims in a weakened and malnourished state, lacking identification documents.
“This follows a tip-off from concerned members of the public, who reported seeing a group of Ethiopians being confined in a maisonette in the said area,” DCI said.
Arrests and investigation
Two persons of interest were arrested at the scene.
“Officers swiftly responded and found the victims who appeared weak, malnourished, and without identification documents in the company of two Kenyans,” the DCI stated.
Preliminary investigations revealed the victims had been held for three days while awaiting transportation to South Africa.
“Investigations have revealed that the victims had been brought to the house three days earlier and were awaiting transportation to South Africa. The two Kenyans were escorted to Muthaiga Police Station,” DCI said.
Following the rescue, 28 of the victims were taken to Kitengela Police Station, while the remaining 30 were transferred to Isinya Police Station for further assistance.
A Honda motorcycle was among the items recovered during the raid. It is now being held as evidence at Kitengela Police Station.
Previous cases
In June 2024, 17 individuals of Ethiopian origin, suspected to be victims of human trafficking, were rescued while a driver and his assistant were arrested.
According to a statement from the DCI released at the time, detectives from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) carried out the operation based on intelligence.
The DCI had set up a trap at Makupa Bridge, where they intercepted an Isuzu lorry driven by Richard Mbeke.
“Acting on intelligence, the sleuths laid a trap at Makupa Bridge, intercepting an Isuzu lorry, Reg. No. KCL 849M, driven by Richard Mbeke,” the DCI stated.
Upon inspection, officers found 17 men of Ethiopian origin hidden in the lorry’s cargo area. These individuals were promptly rescued and taken to Makupa Police Station along with the driver, Richard Mbeke, and his assistant, Joseph Ndung’u.
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