A 33-year-old Kenyan, Festus Arasa Omwamba, appeared before Kahawa Law Courts on Thursday, February 26, 2026, to answer charges linking him to the recruitment of unsuspecting Kenyans into the Russian Army.

Omwamba, a director of Global Face Limited, was arraigned before Senior Principal Magistrate Gideon Kiage, where he denied the charges.

The prosecution told the court that between December 1, 2024, and September 24, 2025, Omwamba allegedly recruited 22 Kenyan nationals and facilitated their travel to Russia under false promises of lucrative employment opportunities. The alleged offences reportedly took place at Great Wall Gardens in the Athi River area of Mavoko Sub-County, Machakos County.

According to investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the case gained momentum after 22 suspected victims were rescued in Athi River on September 24, 2025. Detectives analysed witness statements, travel records, and communication data, which allegedly linked the recruitment scheme to Omwamba and another suspect who is also facing charges.

The court further heard that three Kenyans who had already travelled to Russia were allegedly deployed to the frontline of the Russia–Ukraine conflict before later returning home with injuries.

As investigations intensified, Omwamba was traced to Moyale. Prosecutors indicated that he had travelled to the border town as authorities closed in on him. He later surrendered at the Moyale immigration border point on February 2, 2026, where he was arrested and taken into custody.

He was first held at Isiolo Police Station before being handed over to the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU), a specialized arm of the DCI that investigates cross-border crimes such as human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and other transnational organized offences. TOCU is headquartered in Nairobi and coordinates complex investigations involving international criminal networks.

The prosecution opposed his release on bail, arguing that he poses a flight risk and noting that the case has attracted considerable public interest locally and internationally.

During the proceedings, the defence informed the court that Omwamba had previously been granted a Sh100,000 anticipatory bail in June 2025.

Anticipatory bail is a legal remedy that allows a person who fears arrest over a criminal allegation to seek protection from the court in advance. If granted, it directs that the person should be released on bail in the event of arrest, subject to specified conditions. The purpose is to safeguard an individual’s constitutional rights and prevent unlawful or arbitrary detention.

However, the prosecution argued that the anticipatory bail granted to Omwamba had lapsed and was therefore no longer valid at the time of his arrest. The court agreed with the prosecution’s submissions and ordered that he be remanded in police custody pending the hearing and determination of his bond and bail application.

The arrest and arraignment, comes in the wake of growing concern over the increasing number of Kenyans heading to Russia to join the Russian army, some purportedly through illicit recruitment methods and lured in by promises of rich compensation.

Kenyans were cautioned last week by the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow not to travel to Russia for employment through unreliable means, as this could restrict their access to government support in the event that they become trapped.

Kenyans looking to travel to Russia for work should refrain from using social media, messaging apps, or other unlicensed services, according to a statement sent by the embassy on Sunday, February 15. Kenyans have also been advised not to use tourist visas to travel to Russia in pursuit of work.