Two in court for trafficking desperate job seekers into prostitution
Ms Stella Syomiti Kingesi and Mr Michael Okwaro at the Makadara Law Courts.
Two people suspected of luring women into online sex have been charged with trafficking them for sexual exploitation.
Mr Michael Ochieng Okwaro and Ms Stella Syomiti Kingesi faced charges of contravening Section 17 (b) of the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) of 2006.
The two are accused of controlling two women by making them interact with clients through a hook-up website, resulting in the two women getting involved in prostitution in the accused's house in Kasarani, Nairobi.
They are also facing a charge of conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to Section 393 of the Penal Code.
The two allegedly committed the offence on diverse dates between January 15 and February 27 this year at their house in Kasarani, Nairobi jointly with others.
One of the women met Ms Kingesi in early January this year in Nairobi and they exchanged contacts.
The victim, who was desperately looking for a job, asked Ms Kingesi to help her get a job. A few days later, Ms Kingesi called the woman and told her that there was a job at StripChat that required one to have a national identity card only.
Sent the woman bus fare
Ms Kingesi sent the woman bus fare to travel to her house, which the woman did.
The suspect told the woman that all that was needed was a laptop or smartphone and Wi-Fi to start work.
She created an account for her and the complainant went online where she met a man who requested her to perform sexual acts and she obliged.
She was paid some money on February 15 and continued with the work, but was locked in the house without permission to leave.
The complainant realised that other women were performing similar acts with the same gadgets she used after she had contracted a sexually transmitted infection.
The woman later sent a text to an activist who alerted the police.
Police officers stormed the house and rescued her together with another woman who was also detained in the house performing similar acts of prostitution.
The two suspects denied the charges before Makadara Principal Magistrate Lewis Gatheru.
They were released on a bond of Sh100,000.
The case will be mentioned on March 16 before the hearing starts on July 27.
