NAIROBI, Kenya- Detectives have launched a pursuit of a Russian national who secretly recorded intimate sessions with Kenyan women and shared the footage online, sparking national outrage.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed that it is working closely with international partners to track the suspect and any other individuals who may have been involved in the case.
To assist with the investigations, DCI has urged victims and witnesses to come forward and record statements with detectives at the DCI Headquarters along Kiambu Road.
“All statements will be handled with the utmost confidentiality, dignity, sensitivity, and respect for the privacy and well-being of the complainants,” said DCI Head of Communications John Marete in a statement.
Already, DCI units from the Cybercrime and Gender-Based Violence investigation teams have been activated to support the probe.
Authorities have also advised Kenyans not to share or repost the videos, warning that doing so constitutes secondary victimization and may attract criminal liability under Kenyan law.
PRESS STATEMENT
In a statement issued on Monday, February 16, the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services, through Cabinet Secretary Hanna Cheptumo, condemned the acts as a violation of privacy and human dignity.
CS Cheptumo directed law enforcement agencies to act with urgency.
“The Government of Kenya is coordinating a whole-of-government response.
Relevant security, investigative, and prosecutorial agencies have been directed to pursue the matter with urgency, including collaboration with international authorities, given the cross-border nature of the case,” CS Cheptumo said.
The statement further emphasized that any individual found culpable will face prosecution under Kenya’s Penal Code, the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, and other statutes protecting women and children.
CS Cheptumo described the recordings as a grave breach of constitutional rights, noting that personal privacy and dignity are safeguarded under Articles 28 and 31 of the Constitution of Kenya.
The circulated videos reportedly showed the foreign national approaching women in public places, engaging them in brief interactions, and recording intimate moments without their consent, which were subsequently shared on social media.
