NAIROBI, Kenya — A 33-year-old Kenyan man accused of recruiting youths to fight in the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war has been arraigned over alleged human trafficking and exploitation, in a case that exposes a suspected transnational recruitment network.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said Festus Arasa Omwamba, a director of Global Face Limited, recruited 22 Kenyan youths and facilitated their travel to Russia through deception.
Omwamba appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Gideon Kiage at the Kahawa Law Courts on Thursday and pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors told the court that between December 1, 2024, and September 24, 2025, at Great Wall Gardens in Athi River, Mavoko Sub-County, Machakos County, Omwamba — jointly with another accused person already before court — trafficked 22 Kenyans to Russia for purposes of exploitation.
The prosecution said victims were lured with promises of legitimate employment abroad. However, investigations indicate that some who travelled were deployed to frontlines in the Russia–Ukraine conflict after minimal training.
Prosecuting counsel Kennedy Amwayi told the court that 22 victims were rescued on September 24, 2025, in Athi River. Three others who had travelled to Russia were allegedly deployed to combat zones and later returned to Kenya with injuries sustained in the war.
“Your Honour, the accused person is a flight risk, and this case has attracted public interest both locally and internationally; therefore, the public demands accountability following the loss of life in Russia,” Amwayi submitted.
The court ordered that Omwamba remain in police custody pending the hearing and determination of his bond and bail application.
Arrest and intelligence findings
Omwamba surrendered at the Moyale immigration border point on February 2. He was arrested, booked at Isiolo Police Station, and later handed over to officers from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit.
Detectives described him as a key player in a broader trafficking syndicate that allegedly exploits vulnerable individuals by promising lucrative jobs in Europe and other destinations. Upon arrival, victims reportedly found themselves trapped in dangerous and illegal engagements.
The arraignment follows findings by the National Intelligence Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, which uncovered what authorities describe as an extensive recruitment network.
Presenting a report in the National Assembly, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah alleged that rogue officials in key government agencies enabled recruits to travel undetected through airports.
The report further implicated personnel at the Russian Embassy in Nairobi and Kenya’s Embassy in Moscow in the alleged issuance of visas and facilitation of travel.
“The ongoing Russia–Ukraine war continues to trigger the recruitment of foreign fighters by rogue recruitment agencies and individuals in Kenya,” Ichung’wah told Parliament.
According to the report, more than 1,000 Kenyans may have been recruited. Many were allegedly enticed by promises of monthly pay of up to Sh350,000 and bonuses of up to Sh1.2 million, alongside prospects of foreign citizenship. Some reportedly underwent as little as three weeks of training before deployment.
The findings cite hospitalisation, disappearance, repatriation, and at least one confirmed death as of February 2026.
Authorities have frozen bank accounts linked to suspects and recovered passports, contracts, phones, laptops, and other materials.
Diplomatic response
On February 19, the Russian Embassy in Nairobi denied any involvement, terming the allegations a “dangerous and misleading propaganda campaign.”
“The Embassy refutes such allegations in the strongest possible terms,” the statement said. It added that the Russian government has never engaged in illegal recruitment of Kenyan citizens nor issued visas for individuals declaring an intention to fight in the war.
However, the Embassy acknowledged that Russian law permits foreign nationals legally residing in Russia to voluntarily enlist in its armed forces.
Investigations remain ongoing as authorities invoke the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act and other transnational crime frameworks to dismantle what they describe as an organised recruitment pipeline exploiting vulnerable youth.
The case now places Kenya’s anti-trafficking enforcement, immigration oversight, and diplomatic accountability under sharp judicial scrutiny.
