Businessman sentenced to 3 years in prison for illegally harbouring nine Asian belly dancers

A businessman who was convicted for illegally harbouring nine Asian belly dancers in the country has been sentenced to three years in prison or pay a Ksh.3.5 million fine.

Shaikh Furoan Hussain was on Tuesday found guilty of trafficking the nine belly dancers from Asia and harbouring them at a Nairobi club before they were later rescued by a multi-agency team of officers.

Eight of the girls were Nepalese while one was Pakistan; they were arrested at Balle Balle club situated at Loftus Plaza in Nairobi.

In the ruling, Magistrate Francis Andayi stated that the prosecution had proved its case against Hussain beyond reasonable doubt.

The businessman was convicted of harbouring them for the purposes of exploitation and interfering with their travel documents.

The court noted that there was no difficulty showing that the accused was harbouring the girls since he was the one providing accommodation to them hence was the host.

“They were vulnerable since they were foreigners and even if they wished to go back home, they could not because they did not have their travelling documents, the passports were with the first accused person,” said Magistrate Andayi.

Hussain told the court that the ladies used to dance for patrons and would keep the money adding that they were not dancing for free.

He further said he did not know how the nine belly dancers entered the country.