Law enforcement authorities apprehended 40 foreigners who were found begging along various streets in Mombasa County.
While speaking to the press on Sunday, September 4, Mvita Sub-county Police Commander Maxwell Agoro confirmed that begging contravened the terms of their travel documents.
Agoro noted that the foreigners of Jordanian descent had valid tourists visas.
“Upon finding them the police escorted them to the Central police station for interrogation. They were found to be going against the regulation of the visa by converting themselves to beggars as opposed to being tourists,” Agoro noted.
Agoro hinted that the 40 were on a journey to Eastleigh, Nairobi County before turning to begging along the streets in Mombasa.
"Their passports have been forwarded to the immigration for further verification. Determination will be reached after verification of the documents," he added.
The Mvita police boss noted that the foreigners' passports would be forwarded to the immigration office for further analysis. He explained that the determination would be reached after the verification of the stipulated documents.
"The foreigners will be taken to the immigration office for processing of their documents before any further action is taken."
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) department took over the case shortly after the foreigners were taken to Coast Regional Police Headquarters.
The police had received a tip-off from locals who were surprised to find the tourists begging along the streets of Old Town, Mewmbe Tayari, Kibokoni and Moi Avenue.
Some of the locals who spotted them at the Marikiti market intimated that the foreigners sought funds to relocate to Nairobi.
"They were asking for our help to raise money. We were surprised because we have never seen this before,”one of the residents noted.
