The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has reported that individuals abducted in December 2024 were given between Ksh.2,000 and Ksh.3,000 by their captors, with strict instructions not to disclose their experiences.
This money was allegedly meant to help them return home, as they were reportedly left in unfamiliar locations.
In an effort to hold the government accountable for these abductions, the commission’s attorney asserted that the victims endured torture during their captivity.
“The petitioners were stripped of their clothing for several days, shaved, and physically assaulted,” the court was informed.
Before Justice Bahati Mwamuye, the commission contended that the state bore responsibility for the abductions and that the National Police Service (NPS) should face consequences.
In a related matter, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), along with the Katiba Institute and other petitioners, is demanding that the state account for other missing individuals, whether they are alive or deceased.
“The authorities have failed to present the two in court, and the only recourse is to hold them accountable, as they have access to public resources and cannot claim ignorance of their whereabouts,” stated LSK President Faith Odhiambo in court.
Lawyer Dudley Ochiel pointed out that the two missing individuals have been unaccounted for for over a month.
“The respondents are in contempt of court; they have refused to release the two and have not adhered to court orders,” the court was informed.
During the proceedings, several video clips were presented, depicting the abduction incidents.
Lawyer Martha Karua noted that abductions have reached epidemic levels in the country. Among the videos was one featuring President William Ruto pledging to end abductions, alongside another showing plainclothes officers detaining Amnesty International Director Hughton Irungu.
“This case requires us to illustrate a pattern and prove that the state is aware of the situation at the highest levels,” Karua emphasized.
