Kenyans who were rescued from Myanmar arrive at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on April 5, 2025.
He left Nairobi four months ago after paying Sh200,000 to an agency that promised him a teaching job in Thailand, but ended up being trafficked in Myanmar.
Dan, who only gave his first name for privacy reasons, narrated how he left Nairobi after he was told there was an opportunity in Thailand where he could teach English language, only to be forced to scam people out of money without payment.
Weak and traumatised, the trained teacher gained the courage to talk to Nation.Africa. With his mask on, he swears that the agency that duped him will pay.
Dan had been working in telecom scam centres after falling victim to human trafficking. Lured by promises of well-paying jobs in Thailand, they were instead taken to neighbouring Myanmar, a region controlled by rebels and cartels.
He was one of the 78 Kenyans, whom the government on Saturday repatriated back to the country through the Kenyan Embassy in Thailand after they were rescued from bondage in Myanmar.
The first group of 47 Kenyans landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Saturday morning, with 31 more touching down at around 1pm.
“I left Nairobi with Sh300 and that is the only thing I have returned with. It is in my pocket as we speak,” he said.
“When I landed (in Myanmar), I was picked up by a big car like the one government people are driven in. I thought I had found my Canaan, but ended up in hell.”
He said that he realised that all was not well after they drove for almost eight hours at high speed without stopping. “Once we crossed a river, I knew that I was done,” he said.
“At first, you’re promised a good job, but when you get there, it’s not what you were told. I didn’t follow the right procedure. If I had known what lay ahead, I would never have gone. I ended up doing scamming work. We’ve suffered emotionally, physically, and financially.”
According to Dan, their captors warned that if they didn’t scam people, they would be required to refund the money paid to their traffickers— about Sh700,000 per person.
“I was working under pressure, yet I was not paid any salary for the four months I was there, yet there were fines and penalties,” he said.
“We were beaten, forced to sit in the sun for long, yet the weather there is bad.”
He said that he felt bad scamming people around the world, some as old as 80 years, and in hospices and care homes.
“I had no money to apply for a working visa, and I went there using a tourist visa after passing here at JKIA,” he said.
He advised Kenyans not to fall prey to online job scams and travelling abroad using the backdoor, saying “do that little job you have, even if it is cleaning toilets”.
He said as they were leaving their captivity, his possessions, including phone, laptop, were taken away and his family does not know whether he has returned.
The group was received by Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu, who said that the government had successfully repatriated hundreds of Kenyans who were trafficked to scam compounds in Myanmar.
“Over the past month, significant rescue efforts have been undertaken, culminating in the recent return of 78 Kenyan nationals in two groups,” PS Njogu said.
“Between 2022 and December 2024, the Kenyan government rescued and repatriated 150 Kenyan victims of human trafficking from the "Golden Triangle" region of East Asia. Since the beginning of 2025, the Government of Kenya, through its Embassy in Bangkok, has successfully repatriated 175 Kenyan Nationals, including the 78 who arrived today.”
She said that the rescue efforts were facilitated through government-to-government collaboration with Thailand and Myanmar, with the Kenyan embassy in Bangkok playing a crucial role.
“We appreciate the support from Kenya Airways, HAART Kenya, and all partners involved in providing shelter and psychosocial support. Special thanks to the multi-agency coordination team, Kenya Airports Authority, and the media for highlighting these stories,” she added.
Severe torture
The group, after arriving, underwent clearance procedures at the airport and is set to record statements at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to provide detectives with details of how they ended up in Myanmar.
The returnees disclosed that they suffered severe torture from their masters whenever they refused to comply with their demands.
The government has since warned Kenyans seeking overseas employment to ensure they secure a valid work visa or permit before departure. Additionally, job seekers have been urged to verify employment offers with the diaspora office to confirm their legitimacy.
“There are no jobs in Thailand, India, or Malaysia—these countries also face unemployment challenges. If someone recruits you for work in these regions, you’re likely being trafficked. Run and report them to us,” Ms Njogu said.
The Kenyan embassy in Bangkok has repeatedly warned of a growing number of Kenyans being trafficked via Thailand to Myanmar and Laos after being lured into fake jobs as teachers or translators.
In January, the embassy said 45 Kenyans were still trapped in Myanmar, with authorities in Thailand struggling to free them from the bondage of the Chinese mafia.
Kenyan Ambassador to Thailand Kiptiness Lindsay Kimwole has also sounded an alarm about Kenyans rescued from Myanmar and being repatriated back to the country.
In an exclusive interview with the Nation, Mr Kiptiness expressed concerns over the potential risks posed by Kenyans recently rescued from Myanmar.
While the successful repatriation of citizens from what has been described as a perilous situation is commendable, the ambassador highlighted the need for vigilance in addressing possible security and social challenges that may arise.
“The Kenyans trained in scamming will return home with skills in online crimes and your guess is as good as mine as to the threats they pose,” he said.
“Human trafficking and other transnational crimes in South East Asia are emerging as serious threats to global security and certainly our national security.”
According to Ms Njogu, the government will debrief and counsel the returnees before they are released to the public.
According to the ambassador, the situation is not good because they are yet to rescue hundreds of Kenyans suspected to be held up in the scam compounds in Myanmar.
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He further said that searching, rescuing and repatriating Kenyan victims of human trafficking from a hostile territory embroiled in conflict is one of the most traumatising experiences “in my public life”.
He said that the torturing of Kenyans is the most painful thing “for me as an Ambassador and certainly my staff”.
“Kenyan victims have returned home with broken limbs, noses, scars on their bodies, and eye problems. One Kenyan died in Myanmar due to a botched stomach operation suspected to be for organ removal.”
The victims said that they were forced “to meet monthly earnings targets of up to $50,000. If they failed, they were tortured.
“They were only allowed to sleep for two to three hours a day and worked nonstop. They were kept in dark cells and subjected to continuous abuse,” another victim identified as John.
Cyber scams run from compounds have flourished during the Covid-19 pandemic, targeting people around the world.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes estimates that between $18 billion and $37 billion was lost in Asia alone in 2023, with minimal government action against the criminal industry.
