Nairobi News

Three Ethiopian nationals who are in the country illegally were, on Thursday, August 24, 2023, found begging for food at the Capital Hill Police Station canteen in Nairobi County.

Two of the foreigners were identified as Mr Adan Haile and Tomas Barche, and the third suspect is a minor aged 16 years.

Police say that the three walked into the police station and headed straight to the canteen, where they started begging for food.

“They were at the Capital Hill police station canteen within Kilimani Sub-County and they did not have a valid passport or permit,” a police report seen by Nairobi News read in part.

It has also emerged that the three could not communicate in English or Kiswahili and only signed as a way to beg for meals.

According to the police, they were alerted and immediately arrested the trio. They questioned them before taking them to court.

In court, the first and second accused produced their Ethiopian National Identity cards, while the third one, a minor, did not have any document to show who he was.

The court heard that the accused persons were brought to Kenya by a broker on transit promising to take them to South Africa for a good job.

However, the broker disappeared once they arrived in Nairobi, leaving them with no option but to seek help within the Central Business District (CBD).

In March, 45 Ethiopians were arrested in two separate places in the ongoing operation against human trafficking.

Four Kenyan suspects believed to be behind the trafficking were also arrested and are facing charges in court, police said.

The first group of 32 was arrested in the Loitoktok area, Kajiado, as they planned to cross the border to Tanzania.

In Isebania area, Migori, 13 other Ethiopians were arrested in a village while also planning to cross to Tanzania.

Police said all the suspects were men and had been in the area for three days while waiting to be facilitated to cross the border.