Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid has opened the lid on an unsolved abduction case involving a former county official of a county in the northeastern region.
In a statement on Sunday, June 15, Khalid revealed that the former Chief Officer for Health in the county had recently been abducted and tortured, allegedly by the county governor, whom, due to legal reasons, we opt not to name at this time.
Despite efforts to get justice for him, however, Khalid relayed that the relevant authorities had yet to make any arrests, although the evidence in the case is reportedly overwhelming.
"At Vocal Africa, we are presently following up on a matter where a former Chief Officer (Health) was abducted, apparently by the Governor of the same County and tortured," Khalid stated.
Although he did not provide more details on the matter, he stated that the evidence presented to police officers included clear CCTV footage implicating the governor.
Therefore, Khalid called for the intervention of the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to quickly resolve the matter.
"The matter has been reported at various police stations, yet no action has been taken despite the abductors being known and all evidence, including CCTV footage, being shared. We demand immediate action by IPOA and DCI to end impunity in the country."
According to the human rights group in the county that is nested around six others, including Meru, Laikipia, Samburu, Marsabit, Garissa, and Wajir counties, residents and leaders are living in fear over incidents that have been termed as intimidation tactics.
Accompanying the statement were two images of the former county official, fresh from the hospital, with the drip still intact. The Members of the County Assembly have also claimed that their lives may be in danger since they filed a motion seeking to impeach the governor.
Reportedly, they have all switched off their phones and gone into hiding since filing the motion last Tuesday.
This report comes at a volatile time in the country, where cases of forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings have left Kenyans on edge.
Over the past week, activists and politicians have been calling for justice in the death of teacher-cum-blogger Albert Ojwang, who passed away in police custody after being arrested in Homa Bay and driven over 350km to Nairobi last weekend.
What followed later was an outpouring of love for Ojwang's father as Kenyans called for top officials in the government to be held accountable over the same.
The Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service, Eliud Lagat, who was the complainant in the case that landed Ojwang in police custody, is among the top officials being urged to resign by a section of Kenyans.
DCI boss Mohammed Amin and the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, are also facing backlash for reportedly peddling lies during the probe of the case at the Senate and the National Assembly.
