NAIROBI, Kenya — Renowned Kenyan journalist Ferdinard Omondi has condemned the actions of a foreign national who allegedly engaged in consensual sex with women across African countries, secretly recorded the encounters, and subsequently published the videos online.
In a statement shared on X, Omondi described the conduct as sexual exploitation, emphasizing that while the sexual encounters were consensual, the recording and distribution were clear violations of privacy and consent.
The man, a Russian national, has caused outrage after secretly recording women during consensual encounters in Kenya and other African countries.
Many social media users initially focused on the women rather than the violation.
A Russian national identified as Yaytseslav Trahov has stirred controversy online after videos showing him filming intimate encounters with women in Kenya and other African countries resurfaced and went viral on social media platforms. ynews.digital/headline-1/rus…
Upholding Consent and Privacy
Omondi stressed the importance of distinguishing between consent for sex and consent for filming or publication.
“Consent to sex is not consent to filming. Consent to filming is not consent to publication,” he wrote.
The journalist warns that blurring these lines risks normalizing exploitation.
He criticized public reactions that trivialized the women involved, noting that too often, the focus shifts to questioning the victims’ personal choices rather than holding perpetrators accountable.
“Adults make personal choices every day — some wise, some risky. But no such decision cancels the right to privacy,” Omondi added.
Guys. A foreigner travels to African countries, engages in consensual sex with women, secretly records them, and then publishes the videos online.The sex was consensual. The recording and distribution were not. That is sexual exploitation.What’s troubling is that instead of
Ethical and Legal Concerns
The journalist’s reaction comes amid growing debate over the legal and ethical implications of non-consensual recordings.
In Kenya, secretly filming and distributing intimate content without consent may constitute cybercrime under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, carrying potential fines and imprisonment.
Omondi urged citizens and authorities alike to focus on protecting victims and condemning the violation rather than shaming those affected.
