Police IG Douglas Kanja/FILE
Police now say one of the three men reported missing in Mlolongo on December 16 wasn't really a missing person, at least according to their records.
In a statement, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said Justus Mutumwa was already a subject of a murder investigation just two days after he was last seen, although his identity remained unknown until Wednesday, January 29, when he was forensically identified.
"On the 18th of December 2024, at around 2pm, police were alerted of a body that was floating along the Nairobi River, Ruai area some four kilometers north of the station by a lady who was irrigating her vegetables along the said river," Kanja said in a statement signed by Muchiri Nyaga.
The IG said the body had bruises, prompting DCI Ruai to institute a murder investigation.
Kanja said unbeknownst to Mutumwa's family that he was already dead and body found, although not yet identified, filed a missing person report.
"The family of the late Mutumwa, oblivious to the Ruai incident, made a report of their missing kin at Athi River police station on December 21, 2024 (OB reference No. 23) alleging he had been missing since December 17, 2024," he said.
"The body remained unknown until yesterday (Wednesday), when forensic investigations led by the relevant department was able to point out it was indeed that of the missing Justus Mutumwa," the IG explained.
The statement came hours after Kanja and the Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin appeared before Justice Chacha Mwita and denied being in custody of any of the three men dubbed 'Mlolongo 3'.
The court had summoned the two police chiefs to appear in person to explain the whereabouts of the men.
Moments after they denied holding the men, Mutumwa's family said his body was found at Nairobi Funeral Home (formerly City Mortuary).
The development drew questions from the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) with president Faith Odhiambo putting Kanja and Amin to task to explain who was abducting and killing Kenyans.
“The day that the court issues orders demanding the presence of the men, then three bodies miraculously appear, and they are able to identify one. The ball is still in your court, the responsibility is with the National Police Service. We are asking you to tell us what is going on in this country,” she said.
A while later, the body of the second of the Mlolongo three—Martin Mwau - was also positively identified by his family at the Nairobi Funeral Home.
The family was informed the body was picked up from the Mowlem area in the city.
It also emerged that the remains of both men were delivered to the mortuary on December 17, a day after their abduction from the Mlolongo area.
“Inspector General of Police and DCI director came to court and said they have no idea yet fingerprints were taken and the body identified. It either means that they are not talking to each other or they do not have control over different agencies under the National Police Service, or they are lying to Kenyans,” Odhiambo said.
Meanwhile, Kanja said that the National Police Service remains committed to thoroughly investigating all missing persons reports and urged the public to share with the police any information that may help advance the investigations.
