Selestine Kemoli, a Kenyan maid, fled to the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh in 2020 after enduring severe abuse by her Saudi employer. She reported her ordeal, which included being cut with a knife, forced to drink urine, and sexually assaulted, to the embassy’s labor attaché, Robinson Juma Twanga. However, Mr. Twanga, instead of helping, propositioned her for sex in exchange for assistance. Multiple women have reported similar experiences with Mr. Twanga and other embassy officials, insisting that these officials demanded sex, money, or pressured them into prostitution to fund their return to Kenya. Despite these claims, the Kenyan Foreign Ministry has not acknowledged any knowledge of such mistreatment or complaints. Many East Africans migrate to Saudi Arabia for better pay but often face abuse, exploitation, and death without adequate legal protection, as revealed by a New York Times investigation. Mr. Twanga and the ministry’s actions, including soliciting money from families to repatriate the bodies of deceased workers, highlight a broader issue of officials preying on vulnerable individuals at their most desperate moments.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/world/africa/when-kenyan-maids-sought-help-overseas-diplomats-demanded-sex.html