A court in Bomet arrested and ordered the deportation of two Tanzanian nationals who were posing as beggars, the Daily Nation reported on Tuesday, October 1.
The two men identified as Emanuel Masabuko and Dues Peter were arraigned before Bomet Senior Resident Magistrate Kipkirui Kibowen on charges of being in the country illegally.
The two had teamed up to execute the con with Peter handling the disabled Masabuko helping him move around in his wheelchair.
Masabuko and Peter admitted to their offences and the court directed officials from the Immigration Department to deport them immediately.
The court also found that the two did not have any identification documents on them when they were arrested at Bomet market.
This case unmasked a cartel of Tanzanian nationals using their disabled relatives to beg for money on Kenyan streets.
Officers had deciphered the two were not Kenyans with Masabuko being used as a sympathy tool to solicit for money.
“Before pouncing on them, security officers who were on the case had established that they were not Kenyans, and apart from not having identification documents with them, they also had no permit to enter the country,” State Prosecutor Patricia Kariuki revealed.
The culprits' defence lawyer Moses Leteipa, however, claimed that his clients had been misled into believing that there was free movement of people within the East African Community.
“I pray to this court to be lenient on the accused persons who are remorseful for being in the country illegally. They undertake a return to their country of origin and are amenable to deportation orders,” Leteipa requested.
Leteipa also confirmed that the two Tanzanians had not been in contact with nationals from their home hence did not have any money for a fine.
Peter disclosed that they were brought in through the porous border at Serengeti and Isebania where they were driven to different towns to set up shop.
“I only get a retainer fee at the end of the month, but the money goes to my boss whom we make remittance to on a weekly basis. The house we stay in is paid for,” revealed Peter.
This comes as The Standard reported in May 2018 exposed a ring of fake beggars that were plying their trade in the central business district of Nairobi.
