This archive report was first published on 11 August 2019.
Published on August 11, 2019, a shocking incident unfolded at Ritham Bar and Restaurant in Nairobi's Diamond Plaza, where a group of young women from India, Pakistan, and Nepal were arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for their alleged involvement in a multi-million shilling human-trafficking ring.
The young women, who were lured with promises of lucrative jobs in the hospitality industry, were instead forced into sex slavery under the guise of the Mujera cultural dance, an erotic Indian dance performed by young women.
According to sources, the victims' passports were confiscated upon arrival in Kenya, and they were forced to work in exclusive clubs, where admission is by invite-only and only 'blacks' are allowed as waiters and cleaners.
Ankur Ghanhsyambai Patel, the owner of Ritham Bar and Restaurant, was charged with trafficking in persons at the Milimani Law Courts and denied the charges.
Nadeem Khan of Blue Heart International, an organisation that fights against human trafficking and child labour, attributed the rise in trafficking in Kenya to the lack of differentiation between legal and illicit employment.
"There could be people doing genuine business but it is difficult to differentiate them from those who do not. This is what makes the business thrive," he said.
