Premium
IG Kanja: Mlolongo abductees are not in our custody
Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja.
What you need to know:
- The two police bosses on Thursday said they were not in a position to produce the three missing persons or their bodies.
- The three men were abducted on December 16 and 17, 2024 by persons believed to be police officers and have since been missing.
Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja and Director of Criminal Prosecution Mohammed Amin have said that three men who were abducted from Mlolongo in Machakos County in December are not in police custody.
Appearing before High Court judge Chacha Mwita, the two police bosses on Thursday said they were not in a position to produce the three missing persons or their bodies.
“I confirm that none of the men is in our custody. But I want to assure Kenyans that they are safe,” Mr Kanja said.
The court had directed Mr Kanja and the DCI boss to personally appear before him and explain the whereabouts of Justus Mutumwa, Martin Mwau and Karani Muema or produce their bodies.
The three were abducted on December 16 and 17, 2024 by persons believed to be police officers and have been missing since then.
Mr Kanja said when the report was made on the missing persons, he directed the DCI to investigate and Mr Paul Wachira, an assistant inspector general of police, was tasked with the matter.
The IGP said Mr Wachira was in court to give a status of the investigations.
On his part, Mr Amin said investigations were still ongoing and they were not in a position to produce the missing persons or their bodies or even recommend charges.
The DCI boss said the findings and recommendations would be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga, once the investigator completes the probe.
The investigator Mr Wachira said a report about the missing of Mr Muema was made by his sister- Susan Muema on December 26, 2024, indicating that he went missing since December 12, 2024.
He said the matter was under investigations and that the police has engaged various witnesses, service providers and private entities, for purposes of following available leads.
“Along the process, we have encountered certain challenges of witnesses not willing to provide information and have to go the legal way,” he said.