Kiambu Chief Magistrate has allowed police to detain 22 Ethiopian Nationals for 7 days at Muthaiga Police station and another 3 for 5 days at Gigiri police stations respectively to facilitate investigations.
Ms Patriciah Gichohi allowed the detention of the foreigners through a miscellaneous application in which they sought more time to allow them complete their investigations in human trafficking case.
PC Millicent Koga told the court that the suspects were found in a house in NO 18, Bima house in South B of Nairobi County and the manner in which they were found was suspicious. She said during their arrest, several national identity cards, birth certificates and mobile phones and a motor vehicle were found at the scene of crime.
She added that the suspects are believed to be linked to those found at a house in Mwihoko and that she intended to use some of them as prosecution witnesses to prove the human trafficking charge.
Joseph Esfanos, Lagasa Hailu,Fikaddu Habara,,Bram Kayash,Damaka Mukomen,Piniel Adisse Alberto, Elias Walde,Dana Bushura,Daraja Samuiye,Akilulu Kadir,Shifara Abara,Zerihon Baleta,Guye Dagati,Abdi Bamud,Fatah Fayesa,Masebo Osabo,Tashara Girama,Abriham Abo,Abriham Tadasa, Temri Mshomn,Mukonen Daniel and Abriham Ababa will be remanded for 7 days.
In another case Jamal Ahmed Sheikh, Mahdi Alio Mamo and Rashid Ibrahim Adan will be remanded for 5 days at Gigiri police station to enable completion of investigations. In her affidavit, PC Mary Mwangi told the court that the respondents in her case were found in Mwihoko area of Ruiru Sub-county of Kiambu County on 6th October 2020.
She told the court that they were arrested following intelligence information that some foreigners were being harbored at a house in the Umoja area.
She said she needed to interview the respondents through the Ethiopian Embassy and also liase with the immigration office to verify the citizenship of the respondents.
For the office of the ODPP, Ms. Joan Naburuki pleaded with the court to allow the applications of the officers since they could not communicate in any language that was known by the officers and had to rely on an Ethiopian interpreter who was also in court to assist in the same process.
During the proceedings, the magistrate warned the defence lawyer for the 3 suspects for “inciting the public” The lawyer had repeatedly said that police were fond of arresting anyone with light skin on suspicion that they were foreigners. He protested that the application should not be allowed and that if they had any evidence they should go ahead and charge his clients.
Their case will be mentioned on October 13th while the case for the 22 foreigners will be mentioned on 16th October 2020.
By Lydia Shiloya
