A Kenyan has been deported from Israel over allegations he obtained a visa to the Jewish country in a fraudulent way.
The 31-year old, Francis Kimani who has since changed his name to ‘Yehudah Kimani’ had gone to the Jewish state for a three-week study program.
He was however, denied entry into the Israeli airport by the Interior Ministry on Monday night.
According to Israeli-based media outlet, The Times, Kimani’s first application for a visa was denied. But he managed to get a visa in his second application just before the Conservative Yeshiva’s winter break program.
But it was to be discovered that his passport was not valid upon his entry at Ben Gurion Airport.
Officials at the passport check desk said Kimani’s passport said it was not valid.
Israel’s immigration department placed him on a return flight to Ethiopia before he boarded another plane back to Kenya.
He says he lost his bag in the process upon his arrival at Addis Ababa Airport.
“They just told me to go back, I feel like I’m not a human,” he said.
Kimani had been invited for the Conservative Yeshiva’s short programme by retired Judge Justin Philips.
Philips did not take Kimani’s deportation kindly; he said it was “naked” racism because his visa had not issues at all.
“There was no question on the visa form asking for that, and if they want that information they should ask for it. This is naked racism,” lamented Philips who was to host Kimani during his three-week stay in the Jewish state.
Kimani is reportedly said to be the leader of Kehilat Kasuku. It boasts of 50 members.
Kehilat Kasuku is a small group of Kenyans who left Messianic Judaism in the early 2000s.
He hopes to return to Israel one day in future.
In future, Kimani, a tourism graduate hopes to start a tour company.