Kenyan police say 59 Ethiopians, including a four-year-old, rescued in Marsabit anti-smuggling raids

Kenyan security agencies say they rescued 59 Ethiopian nationals, including a four-year-old child, during an operation against suspected human smuggling in Marsabit County in northern Kenya, Kenya's Capital FM reported, citing police.

Police said the operation took place on Saturday at two sites in Marsabit Central Sub-County. A man described as the caretaker of one of the properties was taken into custody.

Two sites, one operation

Police said the raids followed a tip-off and involved several units:

• the COICT team based in Moyale
• the Kenya Police Service in Marsabit
• the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Marsabit
• the Administration Police Service in Marsabit

Officers first went to a house in Jirime Location that police said belongs to a man identified as Aden Lama. There they found 30 Ethiopians: 23 men and seven women. Police did not say whether the owner is under investigation.

Police said they then received information that more people had already been moved from the area. Officers followed and found a second group of 29 people about 14 kilometres away, near the Shegel area on the Marsabit–North Horr Road. That group included 20 men, eight women and a four-year-old child.

According to the figures police gave, the 59 people were 58 adults and one child.

Caretaker detained

Police named the arrested man as Halkano Guyo Galgalo. They said he was the caretaker of the Jirime property and is suspected of harbouring the migrants. He is being held while investigators try to establish how the Ethiopians came to be housed there and whether others are part of a wider smuggling network.

Police said the Sub-County Police Commander for Marsabit Central led the operation and that the Moyale-based COICT team has taken over the investigation. Authorities have not said whether formal charges will be filed.

Key details still unknown

Police have not released several key details, including:

• where the group was believed to be heading
• how long they had been held at the two locations
• the physical condition of those rescued
• whether officers are looking for other suspects

Police said the rescued migrants are expected to assist investigators. Officials have not said what will happen to them next, including whether they will be returned to Ethiopia.

A busy migration corridor

Marsabit County borders southern Ethiopia, and the Moyale crossing is one of the main land routes between the two countries. The area is a known transit point for Ethiopian migrants travelling south through Kenya, many of whom aim to reach South Africa and pay smugglers for the journey.

Kenyan authorities regularly report intercepting groups of Ethiopian migrants in the northern counties and on roads leading to Nairobi. Rights groups have warned that people on this route can face abuse, extortion and dangerous travel conditions, and that children are particularly vulnerable.

Ethiopian officials had not publicly commented on the Marsabit case at the time of publication.

Source: Capital FM (Kenya)

Picture: Capital FM (Kenya)