Micheni was an activist while Jamil and Aslay Longton are siblings. They were abducted by people believed to be police officers on August 19, 2024.
Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has been ordered by the High Court to appear before it by 3 pm on Tuesday, September 3 to answer for the disappearance of two siblings and an activist in Kitengela Town, two weeks ago.
This is after the Law Society of Kenya filed a case in court about the same, with Masengeli compelled to explain the whereabouts of the three, Bob Micheni, Jamil Longton and Aslam Longton, who are said to have been abducted in broad daylight.
Micheni was an activist while Jamil and Aslay Longton are siblings. They were abducted by people believed to be police officers on August 19, 2024.
The activist was reportedly taken while onboard a Kitengela-bound matatu which is said to have been intercepted by three hooded men who forcibly ejected him, and bundled him into their vehicle before driving away.
DCI Boss Amin Mohamed (center) and two missing brothers Aslam Longton and Jamil Longton. /FILE
Amnesty International and LSK revealed that the three’s whereabouts are not known. “Last seen on August 19, protest organisers Robert Njagi and brothers Jamil and Aslam Longton were physically assaulted and abducted in broad daylight by masked men in private cars,” read part of the joint statement.
“A habeus corpus application has been filed by the Law Society of Kenya and the Inspector General has been summoned this afternoon to personally explain why the three have not been produced in court as required by the law.”
Court documents indicated that the trio mobilised the youth through their social media accounts during the widespread anti-Finance Bill protests.
Instructively, the High Court had on August 23, 2024, issued a directive to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Police Service (NPS) to immediately reveal the victims’ whereabouts.
In his ruling, the judge directed the top police bosses to do as ordered and produce the missing individuals by August 26, 2024.
“That pending the hearing and determination of this application interpartes an order is hereby issued directing the respondents (DCI and NPS) to immediately disclose the whereabouts of the 2nd to 4th Petitioners to the 1st Petitioner,” read the directive in part.
This comes even as President William Ruto decried that he was not aware of any Kenyan who the country’s security agencies reportedly abducted during or after the recent spate of anti-government protests across the nation.
During the town hall meeting on August 29, Ruto instructed Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, who was also present, to take up the matter and ensure that the cases are followed to the letter and the missing individuals found.
President William Ruto speaking while presided over the inauguration of the Pending Bills Verification Committee on November 7, 2023. /PCS