A joint team comprising the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit and detectives from DCI Kabete successfully captured a child-stealing suspect and rescued two victims.
Police said a suspected trafficker identified as Mary Akinyi Mulamula, who had been playing a cat-and-mouse game with the authorities, was finally cornered and apprehended in Kabete, Nairobi.
The arrest followed a report received that a child had been stolen from her home in Muchingu, Mukango Sub-Location, Virhembe Location, Kakamega County, on June 6, 2024.
Investigations show on the ill-fated day, the suspect spun a web of deceit, convincing the shamba boy that she was taking the child to Kakamega to be registered in a sponsorship program promising a monthly stipend of Sh9,000.
However, the suspect vanished with the child without a trace, leaving the family in despair.
After relentless investigations, the officers’ efforts paid off when they successfully rescued the victim alongside another victim, apprehending the suspect in the process.
The suspect is in police custody as the authorities prepare to bring her to justice, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said adding they remain resolute in their dedication to protecting children’s rights and eradicating the scourge of human trafficking.
Cases of trafficking have been on the rise amid police operations to contain the trend.
Police say dozens of children are missing amid fears they have been trafficked elsewhere or the traffickers are looking for ways of taking them to their intended destination.
The traffickers use fake documents to enhance the process.
Child trafficking involves the use of children for the purpose of exploitation in various ways.
It is a serious crime and a severe violation of human rights.
Most perpetrators are Kenyan, including government officials, police officers, and local authorities, and, to a lesser extent, foreigners.
The National Council on Children’s Services (NCCS) estimates that around 17,500 Kenyans are trafficked annually for domestic work, forced labor, and commercial sexual exploitation, of which 50 percent are likely to be minors.
Kenya is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking in persons.
In Kenya, data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that 8.5 percent of children, or 1.3 million children are engaged in child labor.
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