High Court Orders Kenya Government to Respond on 600 Citizens Trapped in Cambodia
Nairobi, 26 February 2026
Over 600 Kenyans allegedly trafficked to Cambodia under false job promises have petitioned the High Court for urgent repatriation after enduring forced labour and abuse. The victims claim they were confined in guarded compounds, forced to work 16-hour shifts, and subjected to torture and electrocution. Following a Cambodian police raid that left them stranded, the court has given government agencies until 27 March 2026 to respond, while Cambodia has set a 28 February deadline for their departure or face legal consequences.
Court Sets Deadline for Government Response
The High Court issued its order on Wednesday, 19 February 2026, requiring the State to respond to the petition filed by 10 Kenyan citizens, including Deriars Misiani, Brian Kimani, and Callen Mosiango Morang’a [1]. The petitioners are representing themselves and over 600 Kenyans allegedly stranded in Cambodia, claiming they were lured with false employment promises and subsequently subjected to exploitative labour conditions [1]. State agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, have until 27 March 2026 to file their responses [1]. The matter will be mentioned on 13 April 2026 for compliance confirmation and further court directions [1].
Systematic Abuse and Human Rights Violations
Court filings reveal the extent of alleged abuse suffered by the stranded Kenyans. The petitioners state they are “presently subjected to grave and ongoing violations of their fundamental rights, including torture, physical assault, electrocution, sexual harassment, and inhuman and degrading treatment” [1]. The victims were allegedly confined in a guarded compound surrounded by high walls and barbed wire to prevent escape [4][8]. They were forced to work continuously for 16 hours a day to meet extreme targets, with several suffering stabbings and carrying untreated injuries [8]. The Kenyans claim they were transported to Cambodia after paying recruitment fees and were confined in guarded premises with their passports confiscated [2].
Failed Promises and Trafficking Scheme
The trafficking operation began with fraudulent recruitment agents who allegedly lured Kenyans with promises of legitimate employment in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia [2][3]. After paying recruitment fees, the victims discovered they had been deceived and were instead subjected to forced labour conditions [2][3]. A Cambodian authorities’ raid subsequently led to the operators fleeing, leaving the Kenyans without shelter, income, or travel documents [2]. Cambodia’s interior ministry confirmed it had rescued the group as part of a crackdown on scam centres, which have proliferated in Southeast Asia in recent years [8]. The ministry stated that foreigners rescued from scam centres are kept in “safety shelters” while discussions are held with their embassies on repatriation [8].
Urgent Repatriation Demands and Looming Deadline
The petitioners are seeking urgent court orders compelling the government to verify the identities and locations of all affected Kenyans in Cambodia and establish direct consular contact [1][2]. They want the Directorate of Immigration Services to issue emergency travel documents for those without valid passports and cover evacuation costs, including flights, transit, accommodation, and food [2]. The urgency has intensified as Cambodian authorities have told the group to leave the country by 28 February 2026 or face legal action and potential imprisonment [8]. However, Cambodia’s interior ministry later clarified this was a misunderstanding, stating that the group would not face legal action [8]. The petitioners warn that without urgent judicial intervention, Kenyans in Cambodia remain at risk of arrest, detention, and illness [2]. They argue they have “exhausted all reasonably available informal avenues of assistance” and now turn to the High Court “as the ultimate guardian of the Constitution and protector of fundamental rights” [1].