Two Kenya Airways (KQ) employees have been arrested in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo over "missing custom documentation on valuable cargo."

Confirming the arrest, KQ Chief Executive Officer Allan Kilavuka said the two staffers were apprehended by the Military Intelligence Unit in Kinshasa on Friday.

However, he has faulted the authorities in Kinshasa for arresting the duo, stating that they were being held contrary to a court order and that the national carrier had not uplifted or accepted the cargo in question.

"The reason for their arrest was alleged to be missing custom documentation on valuable cargo that was to be transported on a KQ flight on April 12th, 2024. However, we wish to state that the said cargo was not uplifted or accepted by KQ due to incomplete documentation."

"On April 24th, 2024, KQ filed an application in the military court for the two to be released unconditionally. The court heard the matter on April 25th, 2024, and granted KQ's request that the two staff members be released to allow due process.”

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"Despite the court orders, the military intelligence unit is still holding them incommunicado, yet these are civilians being held in a military intelligence facility,” he added.

According to Kenya Airways, the two seized their phones during the arrest, and all access to them was denied.

"On April 23rd 2024, the Kenyan embassy officials and a few KQ staff were allowed to visit them but only for a few minutes," he added.

On the issue of the cargo, Kilavuka maintains that the shipment "was not on the air side for transportation and, therefore, not in the possession of KQ as the logistic handler was still completing documentation before handing it over to KQ."

Further, he said the cargo was still in the baggage section undergoing clearance when the security team arrived and alleged that KQ was transporting cargo without customs clearance.

"All efforts to explain to the military officers that KQ had not accepted the cargo because of incomplete documentation proved futile.”