I’m stressed and afraid! Kenyan woman in Cambodia warns of retaliation after case goes public

A Kenyan woman detained in Cambodia after allegedly escaping human trafficking now claims she fears for her life following the public circulation of her distress message.

The woman claims Cambodian police have reacted angrily to the reports, which she says have exposed her identity inside the detention centre where she has been held for weeks.

She says the situation changed soon after her initial plea for help spread online.

She told The Star that screenshots of her email and WhatsApp messages had been widely shared, leaving her worried that officers now viewed her as a threat to their reputation.

“When I shared this message, my email and WhatsApp screenshots were shared,” she said.

“Since my name is out there, polisi wameanza kupiga kelele wakiuliza huyo ni nani anaharibia polisi wa Cambodia? Sasa niko stressed, naogopa wanaweza niua,” she claimed.

She says that although police inside the facility still do not know her by formal identification, the exposure has compromised her safety because she is the only Kenyan being held in that specific detention centre.

Her case first gained attention after she said she had been lured to Cambodia with a job offer before being moved between companies, drugged and mistreated.

She says she was later rescued by police but was unexpectedly placed in a deportation facility, where she claimed detainees are being asked to pay to secure their release.

Her recent fears now centre on retaliation.

Nancy claims officers in the facility have become increasingly agitated, and she does not know how they will respond to the growing public scrutiny.

“I fear for my life,” she said. “Since they have seen the reports, they are angry.”

She has appealed to Kenyans both in the country and in the diaspora not to circulate any of her audio or video recordings, especially those containing her voice, face or identifying details.

She fears such material could escalate the tension and put her in greater danger if it reaches the Cambodian authorities.

Nancy says she is still waiting for intervention from Kenyan officials and hopes authorities will act quickly.

“I just want help,” she said.

Attempts to reach relevant Cambodian and Kenyan officials for comment were unsuccessful by the time of going to press.