Suspect accused of trafficking Kenyans to Russia detained as 22 victims rescued in Athi River

A man accused of running a human trafficking network has been detained for ten days to allow police to complete investigations.

The Kahawa Law Courts ordered that Edward Kamau Gituku be held at Muthaiga Police Station after prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) applied for his continued detention.

According to investigators, Gituku is suspected of being at the helm of a transnational trafficking ring ferrying Kenyans to Moscow, Russia, where victims are allegedly subjected to exploitation.

In an affidavit, Sergeant Bramwel Saima of the Transnational Organised Crime Unit said police, acting on intelligence, raided Great Wall Gardens Estate in Athi River, Machakos County, on September 25. During the operation, officers rescued 22 Kenyan nationals believed to be victims of human trafficking.

The houses where the victims were found were reportedly rented by Gituku. A search conducted in his presence led to the recovery of several passports and a Samsung Galaxy phone, which has since been forwarded to the DCI Cybercrime Unit for forensic analysis.

The court was further told that one of the victims who had earlier been trafficked to Russia had returned to Kenya and was hospitalized awaiting surgery. Prosecutors argued that releasing Gituku could jeopardize ongoing investigations, compromise witnesses, and hinder efforts to track down accomplices still on the run.

Investigators also sought time to conduct identification parades, record victim statements, and review electronic evidence from the seized devices.

“It is in the interest of justice that the respondent remains in custody to enable investigators to conclude their work,” Sgt. Saima stated.

Granting the request, the magistrate authorized Gituku’s detention at Muthaiga Police Station for ten days and permitted forensic examination of the recovered phone.

The case adds to growing concern over the trafficking of Kenyan youth abroad under false promises.