Ipoa chairman Isaack Hassan. /HANDOUT/XIpoa, the agency mandated with investigating alleged police excesses in the execution of their duty, says the service has not been exonerated from blame over the spate of abductions witnessed in the country in recent days.
Ipoa Chairman Issack Hassan said in a statement on Thursday that remarks made during a press briefing on Tuesday, January 28, were taken out of context by a section of the media over the authority's stance on the alleged police involvement in the abductions.
"Let it be clear that Ipoa has not exonerated the police from culpability in these cases," Hassan said.
He confirmed that the authority was investigating 17 reported cases of alleged abductions.
Out of the 17, Hassan said nine resurfaced within a day after their alleged abductions and expressed lack of interest in following up their matters with Ipoa.
He said six of the victims were found after periods ranging from a day to 32 days.
"One victim was reported dead, while one is still missing. Upon conclusion, Ipoa will make recommendations based on the findings," Hassan said.
His statement came hours after top police chiefs honoured a court directive to appear before it and explain the whereabouts of three men who went missing in Mlolongo on December 16.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin told Justice Chacha Mwita they do not have any of the men in their custody.
"When that report was made (at the Mlolongo police station), I directed the Director of DCI to commence the probe, and leading investigator Paul Wachira, who is an assistant IG, is here before the court to give a progress report on the status of the investigations," Kanja said.
"I confirm that we have none of the men in our custody. But I want to assure Kenyans that they are safe," the IG added.
Hours after they left court, two of the three men dubbed 'Mlolongo 3' were found dead at Nairobi Funeral Home, previously known as City Mortuary.
It emerged that the bodies of Martin Mwau and Justus Mutumwa were delivered to the morgue on December 17, a day after their abduction from the Mlolongo area.
Their families were told Mwau’s body was picked up from the Mowlem area in the city while Mutumwa's body was found in the Ruai area.
In his status update, Hassan said besides the ongoing investigations, Ipoa initiated a trend analysis of the circumstances witnessed during the alleged abduction incidences.
He said the Abductions Trends Analysis Report concluded in November 2024 revealed a worrying pattern.
"The alleged abductions occurred in broad daylight, with the abductors not bothered whether they were captured on CCTV nor the possibility of police intervention when victims and witnesses raised alarm," Hassan said.
He said the victims who were let go by their captors reported being tortured, being subjected to lengthy detention, and being threatened and injured by at least three people.
"Further, victims reported that the persons who arrested them were not in police uniforms and had covered their faces and camouflaged their vehicles. They were also reportedly detained deplorably, given transport upon release, and warned not to discuss their detention or face further consequences," Hassan added.
The Ipoa boss said the authority was encountering some challenges in the ongoing investigations into the incidences, including witness intimidation and non-cooperation.
He said they are also finding it difficult to probe incidences where police officers clad in civilian attire camouflaged themselves and operated vehicles with obscured number plates during the Gen-Z demonstrations.
Despite the challenges, Hassan said investigations into the alleged abductions remain a top priority for Ipoa.
He said the authority is committed to being independent, impartial, and fair and assured that Ipoa will continue to oversight the police in respect to safeguarding human rights.
