The Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja on Thursday, December 26, responded to reports of police involvement in increased wave of abductions witnessed in the country.
In a statement, Kanja denied the allegations linking police to recent abductions witnessed in the country.
“The National Police Service is deeply concerned with the ongoing allegations that Police Officers are involved in abductions of persons in Kenya. For clarity, the Constitutional mandate of the National Police Service is not to abduct but arrest criminal offenders,” read part of his statement.
Kanja explained that according to the Service Standing Orders, all arrests must be recorded in the Occurrence Book. Those arrested are then to be arraigned in court, or released from custody if they do not meet the procedural threshold for detention.
Kanja denies police involvement in abductions
He further reiterated that the National Police Service is not involved in any abductions, stating categorically, “There is no police station in the country holding the reported abductees.
However, he cautioned social media users to be responsible when posting information online, even though the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression.
“While Kenya is a democratic country that upholds freedom of expression, this freedom comes with certain limitations and should always be exercised with the utmost responsibility,” Kanja warned.
Inspector General urges Public to avoid spreading false information
Further, the Inspector General urged the public to avoid spreading false, fabricated, malicious, and misleading information that could harm the reputation and image of the National Police Service.
He stated that matters concerning abductions are under investigation by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and other independent organizations.
He also encouraged anyone with information about a missing person to report it to the nearest police station.
Kanja’s statement comes in the wake of several social media influencers being abducted by individuals believed to be police officers.
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These abductions are linked to the posts made by the influencers, which have been deemed inappropriate by some due to their criticism of President William Ruto‘s administration.
Among those still missing are Benard Kavuli, Billy Mwangi, and Peter Muteti. Recently, Gideon Kibet, known as Kibet Bull on the X platform, and his brother Rony Kiplagat became the latest victims of enforced disappearances.
The alleged abductions by police officers have sparked widespread criticism across the country, with politicians, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and various institutions voicing their concerns.
On Wednesday, December 25, IPOA Chairman Issack Hassan reported that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) had received reports of the abduction of five individuals from Kajiado, Nairobi, and Embu.
Raila Odinga criticizes the government for enforced disappearances of its critics
He mentioned that teams had been dispatched to investigate these incidents.
“In line with Section 6(a) of the IPOA Act, which mandates the Authority to investigate complaints related to disciplinary or criminal offenses committed by any member of the Service, Rapid Response Teams were sent to the locations of the incidents to collect information pertinent to understanding the circumstances surrounding the abductions and any alleged police involvement,” IPOA stated in a press release.
Also Read: Kibet Bull: Influencer Behind Ruto’s Caricatures Reported Missing
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga called on President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration to put an end to enforced disappearances and abductions of Kenyans this year.
He pointed out that such cases have tarnished the country’s image and urged the government to implement necessary measures to prevent their recurrence.
“The issue of abductions of innocent Kenyans must end this year. It is an incredibly primitive and strange phenomenon in our country,” Mr. Odinga remarked at Nyamira Church in Bondo, Siaya County.
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