A Kenyan man who once wanted to be a Member of Parliament has been arrested in the United States.
He was caught in a police operation meant to stop adults from meeting underage girls for illegal reasons.
The man, known as Nur, had tried to get elected in Kenya under the UDA (United Democratic Alliance) party.
He is now one of 12 men who were arrested in Eden Prairie, Minnesota after talking to someone they thought was a teenage girl online.
According to police reports, Nur met a person online who said she was offering companionship.
The person told him she was 17 years old and could not share her age online. Even though Nur knew the girl was not yet 18, he still made plans to meet her.
What he did not know was that the “girl” was actually an undercover police officer.
The officer was part of a larger police operation meant to catch adults who try to take advantage of young people.
Nur arrived at the meeting place, which was a golf course, carrying $250 in cash and a phone. He was arrested on the spot.
Police said the operation involved several police agencies working together to stop human trafficking and protect minors.
The other suspects arrested were men between the ages of 24 and 46. Some of them brought gifts like sweets, while others had drugs or tried to run away from police.
One man brought candy called Sour Patch Kids as a birthday gift. Another man crashed his car while trying to escape arrest.
Another suspect was caught with condoms, drugs, and two phones.
The police confirmed that all the men had been told the girl was underage, and they still agreed to meet her.
Most of them responded to texts showing they knew her age but were still willing to go ahead.
The UDA party in Kenya has not yet made any public comment about Nur’s arrest.
By Kenyans