One of the missing Mlolongo men, Justus Mutumwa has been found dead.
Family lawyer Dan Maanzo om Thursday January 30 confirmed that the slain body of Mutumwa was discovered in Ruai Nairobi County.
Maanzo said his body was taken to the City Mortuary, where his family positively identified it.
“We have confirmed that petitioner number 1, Justus Mutumwa has been found dead, and his body is in the city mortuary, a quick check with the fingerprint has confirmed that it is him and is a petitioner in this particular case,” Maanzo said.
“The issue of Habeas Corpus in relation to the police was raised, with the police specifically stating that the individuals were not in their custody and were not arrested by them.
One of Missing Mlolongo Men Justus Mutumwa Found Dead
He added, “It is now upon the police, as required by law, to investigate and determine who was responsible for the abduction and killing of these individuals. The responsibility, therefore, may rest solely with the police to identify those involved.”
Lawyer Maanzo stated that this information was brought to their attention while the proceedings were ongoing in court.
Justus Mutumwa along Stephen Mbisi Kavingu, Martin Zyuko Mwau, Kalani Mwema, disappeared on December 16 and 17 in quick succession under unclear circumstances.
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Mutumwa, Zyuko, and Mwema were last seen by their friends at a local joint on the evening of December 15, 2024, where they appeared to be in a jovial mood.
According to their families, the three had left their homes on the morning of December 15, 2024, to attend to their respective businesses and workplaces but never returned.
The news of Mutumwa’s death comes few hours after Inspector General (IG) of Police Douglas Kanja and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohammed Amin on Thursday, January 30, finally appeared in court.
Douglas Kanja and DCI Amin Honors Courts Summons
The two made an appearance after snubbing three consecutive summonses over the disappearance of three Kenyans.
The police boss alongside Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohammed Amin was expected to show up and address inquiries regarding the whereabouts of three individuals abducted in Mlolongo, Machakos County, in December 2024.
Earlier, Justice Chacha Mwita noted that the trio, Justus Mutumwa, Martin Mwau and Karani Muema were arrested on December 16 and 17 and had been held beyond the constitutional limit.
In his submission, Amin confirmed that reports of missing persons were officially recorded at Athi River and Mlolongo police stations on December 21, 25, and 26, 2024.
Also Read: IG Douglas Kanja and DCI Amin Finally Show Up in Court
Further, he stated that upon receiving these reports, he was given explicit instructions by the Inspector General of Police to ensure thorough investigations were conducted.
Amin also said that none of the missing individuals are in the custody of the National Police Service (NPS).
“Pursuant to that directive, I instructed my deputy director of investigations Paul Wachira, to take over the contact of those cases and ensure that reports are conclusively investigated and the findings forwarded to the ODPP for further directions,” Amin said.
He added, “The investigations are still ongoing and at an appropriate time, the files will be forwarded to ODPP, complete with our findings and recommendations.”
“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. We can neither produce their bodies nor can we formally refer any charges against them.”
On his part, IG Kanja stated that upon receiving reports of the missing persons, he promptly directed the DCI to initiate an investigation.
He then assigned Assistant Inspector General Paul Wachira, the lead investigator, to oversee the probe and ensure a thorough report on the matter.
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