Newly-appointed Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, has reiterated that the National Police Service (NPS) is not holding the activist and two siblings who were allegedly abducted in Kitengela during anti-government demonstrations.
Despite reports of their abduction in late August, the whereabouts of Bob Njagi, leader of the Free Kenya Movement, and brothers Aslam and Jamil Longton remain unknown. Njagi was reportedly taken by masked men from a Kitengela-bound matatu on August 19, 2024, while the brothers were abducted the same day by men in a Subaru vehicle outside their Kitengela home.
Speaking at the NPS headquarters in Nairobi after officially succeeding Acting IG Gilbert Masengeli, Kanja reaffirmed that the police were not involved in the trio's disappearance. "I’ve just taken over, but I can confirm that we do not have the 'Kitengela 3' in our custody. A report was filed, and there is an ongoing investigation. We urge anyone with information to come forward," Kanja stated.
Did you read this?
Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Amin Mohamed, who was also present at the handover ceremony, echoed Kanja's remarks. "It's unfortunate that we’ve received numerous complaints about abductions. The NPS is not involved in any abductions. Our role is to ensure that those responsible are apprehended and brought to court, and that the abductees are found safely," Mohamed said.
He further emphasized, "I want to make it clear: as NPS officers, we are not holding the 'Kitengela 3'. They are not in our custody. Any individual arrested by the NPS is taken to a gazetted police station; we do not operate any other detention facilities."
The search for the trio has led to legal trouble for former IG Masengeli, who was sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court after failing to appear and provide answers regarding their whereabouts.
