By F, KNA
Eleven foreigners, including Congolese, Burundians, and Rwandans, pleaded not guilty today before Principal Magistrate Hon. Dennis Ogal at Winam Law Courts.
Nine of the accused were arrested on 5th February at Ondiek Estate in Kondele Township, Kisumu Central Sub-County, after being found unlawfully present in Kenya without valid passports or permits.
The remaining two were arrested on 7th February at Manyatta Arabs area in Kisumu, after being detained by the OCS Kondele Police Station in possession of five phones suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.
All eleven face two counts: being unlawfully present in Kenya, contrary to Section 1(J) read together with Section 53(2) of the Kenyan Citizenship and Immigration Act, and possession of suspected stolen property, contrary to Section 323 read together with Section 26 of the Penal Code.
The accused are currently in custody at Kodiaga Maximum Prison, awaiting the next hearing scheduled for February 27, 2026.
Authorities say the arrests form part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal phone operations and enforce documentation compliance among foreign nationals.
The case has drawn public attention due to the number of foreigners involved and the alleged cross-border nature of the syndicate.