A Nairobi Court is set to determine a case where two Philippians; Paul Mercado Fajardo and Anita Actub Lagunay have been charged with working in the country as missionaries without permits.
The two are reportedly said to have been stuck in Kenya since February and resorted to working as missionaries at a children’s home in Kayole, Joy Children’s Home.
They hold tourist visas but have been working as missionaries which is in contravention of immigration laws in the country.
The court was told they failed to adhere to conditions set for a visitor on a tourist visa since they have been working as missionaries in Kayole.
They appeared before Makadara Chief Magistrate Heston Nyaga where they denied the charges and were released on bond.
The magistrate set the hearing for July 3.
According to Nairobi News, the two Philippians had a disagreement with one of the people they lived with in Nyayo Estate which formed grounds of their first arrest in February.
They were booked at the Embakasi Police Station for seven days before being released according to their lawyer Gilbert George.
They were arraigned in court thereafter but were not charged. George says that their arrest came a few days before their visas expired.
Right now, the lawyer added, he is offering pro-bono services and is also hosting and feeding them.
He is now alleging foul play stating that someone is working with the police to frustrate them.
“When they were arrested, there was a person who knew them and colluded with police to have them arrested so that they could be extorted after they differed, and they were extorted Sh200,000. That person had stolen their phones and was intercepted at the estate’s security gate and the phones recovered,” George said.
“Immediately they were picked up, this person went into the apartment he shared with them and carried away everything. They reported this incident to police and no action was taken thereafter.”
