Police arrest two suspected child traffickers in Kericho, rescue 14 children

Police in Kericho have rescued 14 minors who were allegedly being trafficked from Busia to Nairobi.

Kericho County Commissioner Muktar Abdi said two suspects involved have been arrested.

Mr Abdi said police officers intercepted the minors along the Kipsitet-Kericho road in three different buses.

Bus intercepted

"The first bus was intercepted at around 12.30am on Saturday. Almost one-and-a-half hours later, another bus was intercepted transporting four children aged between 11 and 18," said Abdi.

The county commissioner added that upon interrogation by the police, one of the first suspects did not give satisfactory answers.

"The suspect claimed the children belong to his sister who lives in Nairobi, but he could not give the children's names and their ages," said Abdi.

He added that the police rescued five other children who were being transported in another bus.

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

Female suspect

"In the third bus, the children were accompanied by a female suspect who claimed that one of the children was hers while the other four belonged to relatives. But on further interrogation she could not provide satisfactory answers to police," said Abdi.

The 14 children were taken to a temporary shelter by Kericho Children's Officer Jane Rono as police conduct investigations.

"Though the suspected child traffickers claim that the minors are orphans and they were taking them to a children's home, they did not have any documentation and until we ascertain their claims, we are going to arraign them in court to face child trafficking charges," said Abdi.