Police from Otwock carried out an operation in which they freed a Kenyan citizen who was being held against her will in one of the premises in the city. In connection with this incident, a 40-year-old man was detained, and the prosecutor's office charged him with human trafficking. The Otwock District Court decided to apply a preventive measure in the form of temporary detention for a period of three months against the suspect.
A report about the detained woman was received by the duty officer of the Otwock County Police Headquarters. Officers immediately undertook operational and procedural actions, which allowed them to identify a specific address. Upon arriving at the scene, police heard a woman's voice calling for help from inside the apartment. Because the door was locked from the outside, the officers decided to force it open. As a result of the actions taken, the woman was safely freed and subsequently provided with necessary assistance.
During the ongoing proceedings, Otwock police detained a 40-year-old man suspected of involvement in this practice. An investigative group was dispatched to the scene, which secured evidence. The Otwock District Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation into the case. After reviewing the collected evidence, the prosecutor presented charges to the suspect and submitted a motion to the court for the application of the strictest preventive measure. The court fully granted this motion.
Legal and Institutional Context
It is worth noting that in the same case (case no. 4320-5.Ds.827.2026), the Warsaw-Praga District Prosecutor's Office expressed concern in a communication dated May 21, 2026, pointing to the earlier application of a preventive measure in the form of police supervision against the perpetrator of the act under Art. 178a § 1 and 4 of the Penal Code. According to the information contained in the source materials, the decision on supervision was issued on May 21, 2026. Currently, according to the latest report from the Metropolitan Police Headquarters dated November 9, 2026, temporary detention for 3 months has been applied to the 40-year-old. Sources provide different information regarding the sequence and type of preventive measures applied in this specific case, which may indicate a change in the court's decision during the proceedings or discrepancies in the publication of data.
The case is being handled by the Otwock District Prosecutor's Office, whose jurisdiction covers the cities of Józefów and Otwock, as well as the municipalities of Celestynów, Karczew, Kołbiel, and Wiązowna. The address of the prosecutor's office is ul. Powstańców Warszawy 15, 05-400 Otwock. Lidia Kazimierczyk-Pyra serves as the District Prosecutor in Otwock, and her deputy is Jarosław Socha.
Help for Victims
Human trafficking is a crime and a gross violation of human rights. Persons who have become victims of such practices or suspect that someone close to them needs help can use the following numbers:
- Emergency number: 112
- Hotline of the Foundation Against Human Trafficking and Slavery "La Strada": +48 22 628 99 99
- National Intervention and Consultation Center for Victims of Human Trafficking (KCIK): +48 22 628 01 20
The "La Strada" Foundation offers comprehensive medical, legal, psychological, and material assistance. It can also be contacted by email at strada@strada.org.pl.