Kenyan man charged with duping people to fight for Russia in Ukraine war

Kenya’s director of public prosecutions office says Festus Omwamba is accused of human trafficking.Published On 26 Feb 2026A Kenyan man has been charged with human trafficking for allegedly recruiting people to fight for the Russian army in Ukraine.Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) said on Thursday that Festus Omwamba is accused of sending 22 “Kenyan youths to Russia for exploitation by means of deception” as the director of a recruitment agency.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Will Ethiopia be part of Israel’s ‘hexagon’ alliance rivalling its enemies?list 2 of 4Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,463list 3 of 4Kenya arrests suspect in duping men to fight for Russia in Ukraine warlist 4 of 4Afghanistan launches attacks against Pakistan, draws ‘immediate response’end of listThe DPP said the victims were rescued in an operation from an apartment complex in Athi River, a town in Machakos County, last September, before they could leave the country. But three others who had allegedly already left Kenya ended up on the front line of the Russia-Ukraine war and later returned with injuries, it said.Omwamba pleaded not guilty to the charges in an appearance at the Kahawa Law Courts in Kiambu.His lawyer, Bonaventure Otieno, said, “There’s no case,” and described it as being based on “speculations”, the AFP news agency reports.The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Omwamba was believed to be a “key player in a more extensive human trafficking syndicate that exploits vulnerable individuals by promising them legitimate employment opportunities in European countries.”He was arrested in Moyale, near the Ethiopian border in the north of the country, earlier this month.Festus Omwamba at the Kahawa Law Courts in Kiambu, Kenya, February 26, 2026 [Monicah Mwangi/Reuters]The prosecutor, Kennedy Amwayi, told the court the case “has attracted public interest both locally and internationally; therefore, the public demands accountability following the loss of life in Russia.”