‘Pastor’ detained as police rescue over 10 PWDs from Kwale house

Police officers in Kwale county are interrogating a man found housing more than 10 PWDs in his house in a suspected human trafficking case.

The suspect, who claims to be a pastor, was busted at Mnazini estate village in Kombani within Matuga subcounty.

The police identified the man as Anderson Odhiambo, a resident of Diani.

Subcounty commander police commander Hassan Godana said they have launched investigations.

Godana urged residents to stay calm and allow the law to take its course as Odhiambo was taken to the Kombani police station for interrogation.

The suspect claimed that he was offering spiritual assistance to help restore the persons living with disabilities.

However, area chief Hamisi Mwamvyoga and the residents alleged that Odhiambo was enslaving the PWDs.

The chief said Odhiambo is taking advantage of the PWDs for his own selfish interests by sending them out to beg.

"Every morning this man dresses up these innocent people with white clothes and deploys them in various areas to beg," he said.

According to Mwamvyoga, Odhiambo works with other unknown people who help in tracking down and kidnaping the PWDs.

He said he does this without the knowledge of the relatives of the PWDs, a case he termed as a possible human-trafficking business.

The chief said the PWDs require sociopsychological support not being enslaved in a filthy environment.

"Most of these people are mentally ill, the only way they can be assisted is by sending them to a mental hospital," he said.

He said they are not well fed and only take porridge, sleep on bare ground, are beaten and defecate within the house since there is no toilet.

According to residents, Kwale has been experiencing a lot of human disappearances cases for both the elderly and children in August.

Village chairman Hamisi Makuli Mtsomo termed Odhiambo an impostor whose actions should not be tolerated.

"We are giving him up to afternoon to relocate, we don't want to see him here and he should return these people where he found them," he said.

Village vice chairperson Khalfan Hassan Mwadzitso said police should probe Odhiambo to unravel more about his business.

Mwadzitso alleged that Odhiambo only visits the place at night and early in the morning.

He said his behaviour raises a lot of suspicions and there is enough proof that he is up to no good.

Mwadzito said they came to know about him one week ago and decided to investigate him.

Odhiambo is believed to have rented the house for almost a month.

Another resident Ali Ramoyo claimed the suspect was chased in Ukunda for doing similar business and he has no particular church where he operates despite saying he is a pastor.

Odhiambo denied all the allegations saying that he was running a community-based organisation to help the PWDs and vulnerable people.

"I appreciate all the names people call me, but that is how it is when you do the work of God," he said.

He claimed that he started the charity in March this year after receiving healing powers from God.

He said he has successfully prayed and healed many PWDs but his CBO went faced obstacles when a partner decided to steal the organisation's money from the donor and well-wishers.

"I am not doing this for myself but these people who have nowhere to go but someone else messed with my programme," he said.

Odhiambo said he had 36 PWDs but some of them escaped due to a lack of proper shelter.

He said most of the time he is on the run because the hostile community mistakes him for an impostor. 

(Edited by Tabnacha O)