DCI detectives in Kenya are searching for a senior immigration officer who failed to appear in court over a human trafficking case.
The agency say the suspect allegedly facilitated the movement of victims to Myanmar and maintained links with a trafficking network. A warrant of arrest has been issued as efforts to locate and apprehend him intensify.
According to the statement released by DCI on Wednesday, the suspect, identified as Assistant Director of Immigration Services John Pario, is being pursued by officers from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) after he failed to attend a scheduled court session for plea taking.
According to investigators, Pario had been arrested on April 2, 2025, following inquiries into the trafficking of two victims to Myanmar in 2024.
At the time of the alleged offences, he was stationed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), one of the country’s main international gateways.
Authorities allege that he facilitated the victims’ departure despite prior knowledge that they had earlier been denied entry into Thailand under similar circumstances, raising concerns about the misuse of official authority.
Investigators say forensic analysis uncovered sustained communication between the suspect and a co-accused individual, suggesting coordinated planning.
The findings indicate that Pario allegedly received photographs and travel documents of the victims in advance, which were used to identify and clear them for travel.
He is also accused of attempting to help the victims evade scrutiny upon their return, pointing to what detectives describe as a broader pattern of involvement in the trafficking network.
“Demonstrating coordinated planning,” investigators said, the communication between the suspects formed part of the evidence linking Pario to the alleged scheme.
Further inquiries reportedly revealed financial transactions tied to the facilitation process, while statements from the victims indicated they had been referred to Pario through the trafficking network.
Prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions approved charges against the suspect, who was later released on a cash bail of 50,000 Kenyan shillings. He was subsequently listed as the third accused person in a criminal case before the Kahawa Law Courts.
The charges include facilitating the exit of persons from the country, an offence under Section 7 of the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act No. 8 of 2010.
On March 24, 2026, the suspect was processed at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters and instructed to appear in court the following day. However, plea taking was postponed to April 1, 2026.
Authorities say he failed to attend the rescheduled session, prompting the court to forfeit his cash bail and issue a warrant for his arrest.
“He is now a wanted person with efforts to trace and apprehend him ongoing,” investigators said.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about human trafficking networks operating across borders and the role of insiders in facilitating illegal movements.
Kenya has in recent years intensified efforts to combat trafficking, particularly involving vulnerable individuals lured with promises of employment abroad.
Law enforcement agencies are now appealing to the public for assistance in locating the suspect. Members of the public with information have been urged to report to the nearest police station or use anonymous reporting channels provided by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
“Members of the public with information on his whereabouts are urged to report anonymously. Usiogope!” authorities said.
Officials say investigations remain active, with efforts focused on dismantling the wider network and bringing all those involved to justice.