Grieving families want Kinoti, Mutyambai held over lost kin

Haki Africa human rights organisation and families of victims of forced disappearance at the Coast, want former Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI) George Kinoti and former Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai held accountable over extrajudicial killings.

The families say the two former security chiefs were fully aware of rampant disappearances and wanton killings of people, and therefore have questions to answer on the ongoing purge against the masterminds of  extrajudicial killings.

The organisation’s rapid response official, Mathia Shipeta, said disbandment of the Special Services Unit (SSU) of the Directorate of Criminal investigations (DCI) and arrest of some officers, puts the two at the centre of the merciless cases of police brutality. Shipeta made the remarks at her  Mombasa offices, flanked by over 20 families that are demanding to know the fate of their kin who disappeared without trace. 

The families from different parts of the coast trooped to the Haki Africa offices yesterday to voice their cries. They want Kinoti and Mutyambai to explain how acts of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances happened under their watch.

“They have questions to answer; disbandment of the unit is significant; they were in power during that time … and the unit was responsible for the disappearance of many people,” said Shipeta.

The organisation is now moving to court to file a petition to demand justice for the families. It says it has given the government time to comply with these demands.

“We have written letters to the government; they called our bosses at the office of the DCI; so we are hopeful that the government has goodwill. But we will not stop piling pressure on the same,” said Shipeta.

Yesterday, there was a sombre mood at the organisation’s office after the family members arrived, demanding that their kin be produced dead or alive.

Hooded gunmen

Among the agitated relatives is Najib Mohamed, who said his brother Athman Mohamed was abducted by hooded gunmen at Majengo Super Loaf while coming from a mosque  in January 2020 and has never been heard of since.

“He was walking from Qubaa Mosque when a car pulled by and armed men bundled him into its boot and drove off. We have been unable to trace him. We have reported to all police stations and searched in mortuaries. Until now, we have been unable to get justice,” said Mohamed.

To worsen the situation, he said, a family member  — Idris Omar — was arrested after he was summoned to a police station in Mombasa. At the police station, he was arrested has never been traced since then.

“We want those who perpetrated these crimes to help the families in tracing their kin. We are also asking the government to dig deep with investigations and arrest the perpetrators,”said Mohamed.

In Bamburi, Regina Karimi, a mother of one child, is also in pain. He husband David Taitumu, 47, was abducted by unknown people in August 2020 at Coast General Academy. She said: “My husband was just a businessman. He had no criminal record. Why did they abduct him? We want the government to help us get him back”.

Agnes Musuu, a resident of Changamwe, says her brother John Syengo, 34, was arrested by police and detained at Changamwe Police Station. But when he was being transported to court, some people believed to be special sleuths transferred him to a different vehicle and fled with him.

High school student

Similar sentiments were expressed by Salim Jembe of Msambweni in Kwale. Jembe said his son, Bakari Salim,a student at Ramisi High School, disappeared in April, 2020 after he and five friends were arrested by police. “My son left home to meet his pals. He did not return. We got information that the six had been arrested. Three of them were released. My son was among those who never returned home. We have searched everywhere in vain,”said Jembe.

Yet another grieving family is that of Mose Ali. In July 2021, they reported that Tunu Said Mwashame was abducted by people believed to be police at their Likoni home during a night raid.

She said her husband was first taken to Inuka Police Station and booked in the Occurrence Book. But after that, the family lost contact with him. She said the disappearance of her husband, who had no criminal record, has caused her much pain.

“He was a truck driver, who operated around Likoni. I wonder how he could be involved in crimes. We have tried to trace him to no avail. We are crying for justice because he was the breadwinner,” cried Ali.

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