Police in Kericho arrest two people suspected of trafficking 14 minors

The children were rescued by police while on transit to Nairobi. Photo: Nikko Tanui, Standard

Police in Kericho Saturday rescued 14 children who were allegedly being trafficked from Busia County to Nairobi.

Kericho County Commissioner Muktar Abdi who was flanked by the county security team said they also arrested George Onyango and Juliet Bahati, the main suspects in the human trafficking business.

Abdi said police officers intercepted Guardian Bus Registration number KBR 216P, along the Kipsitet- Kericho road, which was transporting the first bunch of five children aged between 5-8 years. 

“The first bus was intercepted at around 12:30am on Saturday. Almost an hour and half later, another Guardian bus registration number KBR 141B was intercepted transporting four children aged between  11-18 years who were in the company of a male suspect George Onyango,” said Abdi.

The County Commissioner added that upon interrogation by the police, the suspects did not give satisfactory answers.

“The suspect claimed that the children belong to his sister who lives in Nairobi but he couldn’t give their names and their ages and was immediately placed under arrest,” said Abdi.

The county security committee boss added that the police rescued the last bunch of five children who were being transported in TransLink bus registration number KBU 531U.

The third bus was intercepted along the Muhoroni- Londiani road.

“In the third bus, the children were accompanied by a female suspect, Juliet Bahati who claimed that one of the children was hers and the other four belong to relatives but on further interrogations she couldn’t provide satisfactory answers to police questions,” said Abdi.

The 14 children who comprised 11 boys and three girls were taken to a temporary shelter by Kericho Children’s officer Jane Rono, as police conduct investigations into the matter.

“Though the suspected child traffickers claim that the minors are orphans and they were taking them to Uzima Children’s home they did not have any documentations and until we ascertain their claims, we are going to arraign them in court to face child trafficking charges,” said Abdi.

The County Commissioner advised Public Service Vehicles (PSV) operators to take precaution before agreeing to transport children.

“We would like to ask them to be especially careful before allowing children who are unaccompanied by an adult to board their vehicles” said Abdi.