Sad news from Kenya

[charleston]

On Friday about 72 DV2006 winners who had gone to collect thier visas from the US embassy in Nairobi, Kenya were arrested and are still in jail/prison awaiting trial today apparently for submitting forged documents eg. marriage certificate, birth certificate etc. The families of the affected however say these people had no fake documents and what actually happened in most cases is that htey had changed their marriage status or had gotten children since winning the DV. We are waiting to hear what the US Embassy is going to say today but it is really a very bad day for Kenya. And especially for some of us who are "eagerly" waiting for our interviews....

 

[so-fia]

so what happened there after that day? did things get better ?

 

[charleston]

so what happened there after that day? did things get better ?

Basically this is what went down...

"Seventy-seven people who applied for visas to enter the United States were freed last night after spending four days locked up in police cells.
They had been accused of presenting forged documents at the American embassy.

They had fake marriage certificates and stole mail in an attempt to obtain visas, local police claimed.

The 77 were arrested at the embassy in Gigiri, Nairobi, last Friday after turning up for interviews scheduled for that morning.

Embassy official Jennifer Barnes said it was up to Kenya police to decide what charges to prefer.

Senior police officers said it was a serious security matter being coordinated by two independent countries.

Investigations were being conducted by officers at CID headquarters, according to Mr David Kimaiyo, the deputy commissioner in charge of operations.

By yesterday afternoon, those arrested were still in at least six police stations around Nairobi where they have been held for more than 48 hours - contrary to the law which requires them to go to court within that period.

Exceptions are people charged suspected of robbery with violence or murder suspects, who can be held for up to 14 days.

However Mr Kimaiyo said a comprehensive statement would be issued soon and denied the suspects were being held without being charged.

He said they would have their backgrounds investigated, down to finding out which sublocations they come from.

The majority of the suspects were from Nyanza province, the Nation established independently.

Mr Kimaiyo went on: "Some of the cases are where a person provides documents showing that he is married to another but upon scrutiny, it is found out that the two are not even related."

Many Kenyans want US residence permits in the belief they would find better jobs and improved living standards.

However, Mr Kimaiyo said: "We need to look at this matter from the security point of view."

On Friday, officers from the CID headquarters and the Special Crime Prevention Unit backed by US authorities carried out the arrests shortly after the embassy was opened to public.

The 77 were picked from the queue and taken out of the embassy in trucks.

Ms Barnes said none of their employees was among those arrested.

Some of those arrested were suspected to have paid winners of the US visa lottery so that they could be listed as dependants.

Under the lottery's regulations, dependants, at some point, may be eligible to enter the US.

Others were said to have given false information so that they could qualify to get visas.

The consular section of the embassy is responsible for assisting Kenyans interested in travelling to the United States.

The section also manages issuing passports as well as immigrant and non-immigrant visas to local people.

Ms Barnes said embassy officials worked closely with the Kenyan police to curb cases of irregularity.

Usually, applicants with appointments left their documents at the embassy for scrutiny before returning for interviews in the last stage.

The Nation learnt that irregularities in some of the applicant's documents were noted by embassy officials who then tipped off the Kenyan police.

The decision to arrest the suspects was made after the CID conducted further investigations.

Those arrested had gone to the embassy after being invited for final interviews before being issued with the crucial travel documents.

In a statement faxed to newsrooms yesterday the US Government warned Kenyans wishing to travel to America against attempting to subvert the visa application process.

The malpractices make all Kenyans vulnerable as it calls for strict rules when US officials are handling matters involving locals.

"Fraud perpetrated by applicants for Diversity, Immigrant and Non-immigrant visas seriously affects everyone. The high volume of fraud presented by applicants at the embassy results in more scrutiny of every applicant and delays processing of applications," the statement said.

It went on: "The Embassy of the United States in Nairobi greatly appreciates the work of the Kenyan police in making the arrests.

"These individuals have engaged in fraud against the Kenyan people by entering into fictitious marriage relationships"

 

[jkays94]

77 in visa row petition US Govt

77 in visa row petition US Govt

By John Osoro
Seventy seven Kenyans arrested at the United States of America Embassy in Nairobi last week, have now petitioned the US Government to withdraw the claims raised against them and immediately commence the processing of their entry visas.

The applicants also want the US Embassy to return all documents confiscated from them by the security officials, saying that the action taken against them was irregular and undermined their constitutional rights.

Complaints raised by the group against the embassy and the Kenya Police include being unlawfully held in custody incommunicado.

The applicants, through lawyer Harun Ndubi, argue that an illegal act was meted on them by the Kenya Police through the instructions of the US Embassy, who ordered them remanded in police cells.

They say that the embassy should now halt the intended investigation against them, saying that the alleged offence was malicious.

They said the underlying requirement that they should not have changed marital status before entering into the US is tantamount to trafficking in persons for inter alia sexual exploitation, since they would be only exposed to persons residing in the United States only.

“The investigation into the validity and custom of the marriage of the applicants is unreasonable, oppressive and racist,” they said in the letter. They termed the probe as unconstitutional, saying it was based on a vague criteria unacceptable in law.

The applicants had on diverse dates filed applications for entry visas to the US in which some of them obtained long-term residence permits through Green Cards.

They forwarded all the documents to the government of the US to enable it conduct any necessary security and other checks in order to satisfy itself that the proper persons entered its territory.

The applicants were invited to the US Embassy in Nairobi for final interview on June 2, and upon entry to the premise, they had their documents, cells phones and other personal effects confiscated before being placed under arrest and handed over to the Kenya police.

They said that they were held incommunicado in various police stations without being told the reason for their detention in the stations, some which have the most squalid conditions.

Ndubi said that one of applicants who was detained at Kasarani Police Station was an expectant mother who was due to deliver any time. She was forced to sleep on the cold concrete floor for four days.

All the applicants were unconditionally released on Monday June 5 and told the US government questioned the validity of their respective marriages.

They have copied their petition to the Attorney General and the lawyers representing them.