150 children were on Wednesday rescued from a children's home in Gatuanyaga location in Thika East after the authorities cast doubt on the facility's activities.
Kiambu County Children's officer Mwambi Mugare led a contigent of about 30 police officers to raid Caritas Mariana Children's Home which was conducted around midday. Mugare said that the children had been living in deplorable conditions adding that cases of sexual abuse of volunteer staff and children had also been reported.
"We obtained a court order from Resident Magistrate of Thika Children's Court after so many cases of the facility's inadequaces were reported to us," said Mugare.
He noted that the raid was also triggered by a mysterious death of a class seven girl which he said the home Director Bethrand Nwakwo had tried to conceal.
Further probe, Mugare said, indicated that Nwakwo who is a Nigerian with Spanish roots was in the country illegally as he had no valid documents.
"We suspect the home was just using vulnerable kids and orphans to solicit donor funding," he added.
Nwakwo will now be charged with being in the country illegally, running unauthorised institution and sexual harassment of children and staff.