Kenya charges agency founder accused of sending youths to fight for Russia
Kenyan prosecutors have charged the founder of a recruitment agency with human trafficking, accusing him of deceiving young people with job promises and funneling them to Russia, where some allegedly ended up fighting in the war in Ukraine.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said Festus Omwamba, 33, the founder of Global Face Human Resources, was presented in court on Thursday after his arrest in Moyale, near Kenya’s border with Ethiopia. Prosecutors allege he recruited 22 Kenyan youths “for exploitation by means of deception.”
Authorities say 22 victims were rescued during a police operation last September, while three other Kenyans linked to the same pipeline later returned home with injuries after landing on the front line, according to the prosecution.
The case comes amid growing scrutiny of claims that large numbers of Kenyans have been drawn into Russia’s military through recruitment networks. A recent intelligence report presented to Kenya’s parliament put the figure at about 1,000 Kenyans recruited in recent months, many allegedly lured by offers of well-paid civilian work before being pushed into military contracts.
Omwamba pleaded not guilty, while his lawyer, Bonaventure Otieno, dismissed the case as being built on “speculations” and “hearsay.”
The Russian embassy in Nairobi has denied accusations of recruiting Kenyans under false pretences, calling the claims a “dangerous and misleading propaganda campaign,” according to reports.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
