Etale urges IG Kanja to arrest abductors after denying police involvement in abductions
By Valerian Khakayi, December 26, 2024
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Communication Director Philip Etale, has urged police Inspector General Douglas Kanja to arrest abductors after denying police involvement in the abductions.
In a statement via his official X account on Thursday, December 26, 2024, Etale indicated that it is the role of the police to ensure the safety of Kenyan citizens and those visiting the country.
Etale further noted that after the arrest, the abductors should be arraigned in court so that justice can be served for the victims.
“Please Mr. IG, the role of the Police is to ensure the safety of the citizens and visitors. Please, now that you have denied knowledge of these abductions, can your officers arrest the abductors and bring them to book,” Etale stated.
Please Mr. IG, the role of the Police is to ensure the safety of the citizens and visitors. Please, now that you have denied knowledge of these abductions, can your officers arrest the ABDUCTORS and bring them to book. pic.twitter.com/3yun2v13Vy
— Philip Etale (@EtalePhilip) December 26, 2024
IG Kanja on abductions
The IG in a statement on Thursday, December 26, denied police involvement in the ongoing abductions stating that no police station in the country is currently holding any of the persons reported to have been abducted.
In addition, Kanja urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the Police Service.
“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.
“For avoidance of doubt, the National Police Service is not involved in any abduction, and there is no police station in the Country that is holding the reported abductees,We therefore appeal to the public to refrain from spreading false, fabricated, malicious, distasteful, misinformed and unverified information aimed at tarnishing the reputation and image of the National Police Service,” Kanja stated.
Appealing to members of the public with any useful information on the missing persons to report to the nearest police stations, Kanja, in the statement assured Kenyans that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) will probe the said abductions.
“The matter in question is subject to investigation by Independent Policing Oversight Authority and any other independent body. We appeal to anybody with relevant information about any missing person to report to the nearest police station,” he added.
The latest abductions to be recorded include Bill Mwangi, Peter Muteti Njeru, Bernard Kavuli, and an unnamed fourth individual which occurred on various dates in December 2024 across the Embu, Nairobi and Kajiado Counties.