The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has uncovered disturbing details about the abduction of individuals in December 2024.
According to the commission, victims were given Ksh.2,000 to Ksh.3,000 by their abductors and told to remain silent about their experience.
The money was intended to help them find their way home after being abandoned in remote, unfamiliar locations.
On January 27, 2025, the KNCHR’s lawyer presented these findings in court, describing the harrowing abuse faced by the victims.
The lawyer revealed that the abductees were stripped naked, shaved, and subjected to physical assault for several days.
These actions, the lawyer argued, amount to torture and gross violations of human rights.
The KNCHR filed a petition to hold the state accountable, alleging that the National Police Service (NPS) played a direct role in the abductions.
“The petitioners were tortured,” the lawyer stated, urging the court to take strong action against those responsible.
The commission also argued that the abductions were not isolated incidents but part of a larger pattern, with many individuals reported missing under similar circumstances.
Joining the call for accountability, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Katiba Institute have also demanded answers from the government.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo criticized the state for failing to comply with court orders to produce missing individuals, some of whom have been unaccounted for over a month.
“The duty bearers are in contempt of court for not producing the missing individuals and failing to comply with court orders,” said Odhiambo.
The court was presented with video evidence, including clips showing plainclothes officers carrying out abductions.
One of the videos featured President William Ruto promising to end abductions, while another depicted Amnesty International Director Hughton Irungu being detained by the same officers.
These clips have added to concerns about the state’s role and the lack of action to stop these violations.
Lawyer Martha Karua described the abductions as an epidemic and accused the state of being complicit at the highest levels.
“This is a case where we must show a pattern, and the state is complicit in this crisis,” Karua told the court.
She urged the judiciary to recognize the severity of the issue and hold those responsible accountable.
The KNCHR, alongside other human rights organizations, continues to push for justice and accountability, highlighting a growing crisis of enforced disappearances and state-sanctioned abuses in Kenya.
The case has sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for urgent reforms to address these human rights violations.
