The families of two other men missing after being abducted from the Mlolongo area in December 2024 are now uncertain of finding their kind alive.
The families’ lawyer Dan Maanzo said the mortuary attendants at the facility had informed them there were unidentified bodies that were delivered there on December 19 and hence need to be identified.
He spoke at the City Mortuary in the company of family members of the victims.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi was present and he condemned the trend calling for its immediate end.
Maanzo said the killed men were innocent and called for their justice.
“The total number of those abducted from Mlolongo was four. Two have been identified while two remain identified and are believed to be here.”
“The identification exercise is set to take place Saturday, February 1 and all information and indications point to the worst,” he said.
Mlolongo residents Justus Mutumwa, Martin Mwau, Steve Mbisi and Karani Muema were reportedly abducted on December 17, 2024.
The abductors were initially looking for Mbisi and first arrested Mutumwa, Mwau and Muema and forced them to reveal where Mbisi lived.
And after they caught Mbisi on December 16 the other three went missing too the following day.
The body of Mutumwa was found in Ruai on December 19 while that of Mwau was found in the Mowlem area.
The body of Mutumwa was disposed to indicate he drowned.
“They were tortured before being killed. The bodies are in bad shape. Even the ones that have not been identified are in bad shape,” said Maanzo.
The families of the four have been traversing various hospitals and mortuaries in vain.
It was not until January 29 that the police identified the bodies of the two men after picking up their fingerprints.
This was almost 40 days after the incident.
This raised questions as to what the mortuary officials did with the bodies and why they never disclosed to the families for that long that the bodies were lying there.
“It is not right that parents like these can go for over 40 days searching for their loved ones while we sit somewhere claiming to be discussing the economy. Economy for who? If we are killing and abducting young people, then who are we building the economy for?” Muturi posed.
“This is murder most foul. It is only fair that, at this point, the country shelves any other business to discuss this matter of abductions and extrajudicial killings.”
Muturi demanded an immediate halt to such incidents and a full investigation into the growing crisis.
He decried what he described as the normalization of extrajudicial killings, saying the government has a duty to protect its citizens rather than preside over their deaths.
He also emphasized that during the campaign period, President Ruto vowed to end forced disappearances, yet they continued unabated.
“The buck must stop with the government. Mr. President, I am calling upon you now to order an end to these abductions and open an inquiry to examine how these things have been happening. We cannot normalize this. These are very young lives that have been taken away. Their parents have been agonizing,” he stated.
He proposed the formation of a commission of inquiry comprising representatives from the Law Society of Kenya, religious groups, and civil society organizations such as Amnesty International Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission to unearth the truth.
The revelations came as the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Director of Directorate of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin appeared in court Thursday and denied the deceased were in their custody.
Amin and Kanja explained to Justice Chacha Mwita through their counsel, Paul Nyamodi, that the report of the three missing youths was filed at Athi River's Mlolongo Police Station
. Kanja confirmed that the missing persons' reports were officially recorded at Athi River Police Station under OB No. 23/21/12/24 and Mlolongo Police Station under OB No. 43/25/12/2024.
“I am appearing before this court pursuant to a court order that directed I do appear on account of three persons who were reported missing from Athi River and Mlolongo Townships," Kanja said in court.
Kanja sought to reassure the public about their safety by emphasising the security measures in place during the holiday season.
"Your honour, I want to let the people of Kenya know they are safe. We have just come from the festive season, and throughout the entire season, people enjoyed Christmas because this country is safe. So, I want to assure you that we are safe. I am the Inspector General of Police Service."
Amin said investigations are ongoing over the matter.
"I also wish to state that the missing persons are not under the custody of the national police service. We have not arrested them and they are not under our custody," said Amin.
