The last group of 78 Kenyans who had been stuck in scam compounds in Myanmar and Thailand has landed in the country.
31 more Kenyans arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Saturday afternoon, adding to the 47 who had landed earlier, marking the complete repatriation of all the Kenyans who had been stranded abroad.
The last team of 31 Kenyans came through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was received by the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, Roseline Njogu, at JKIA.
They will, however, not go home immediately, as officers from the State Department for Diaspora Affairs will direct them to designated areas where they will record statements with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) before being released.
The statements are aimed at understanding how they ended up in Myanmar.
According to reports, the Kenyans were deceived by fake agents who promised them lucrative jobs in Thailand, only for them to discover they were victims of human trafficking and sold into forced labor.
The Kenyans were trapped in forced labor camps run by criminal syndicates. Speaking to Citizen TV via phone, the rescued Kenyans revealed that they endured extreme torture, including physical abuse and even electrocution if they disobeyed the Myanmar rebels.
The victims were forced to work in online fraud centers where they were coerced into scamming, identity theft, phishing, and cryptocurrency fraud activities.
Those who refused to work as directed were subjected to harsh conditions, physical abuse, and torture. They were forced to meet monthly earnings targets of up to $50,000 (Ksh6.5 million). Many endured long hours, intimidation, and physical abuse.
The 78 join another group of 48 Kenyans who were rescued at the Thailand-Myanmar border and repatriated two weeks ago.
These Kenyans are part of a larger group of over 7,000 foreigners freed by armed groups but unable to cross into Thailand since February 12.
Negotiations between Kenya and the Thai government led to the reopening of the border on humanitarian grounds, allowing the rescued nationals to enter Thai territory and be repatriated to Kenya.
Since the incident, the government has warned Kenyans to be careful when applying for foreign jobs and ensure they are not duped by fake agents.
