Politician Shadrack Maritim’s disappearance: Mystery as phone activity, missing CCTV raise questions

Ten days since the unexplained disappearance of former Tinderet parliamentary aspirant Shadrack Maritim from his residence on October 27, troubling inconsistencies have emerged.

Despite no confirmed sightings, his mobile phone remains active and has been used to transfer funds and engage in online transactions.

Meanwhile, critical CCTV footage that initially captured his last known movements stepping onto the road for what appeared to be a routine jog has mysteriously vanished with authorities remaining elusive.

Detectives failed to secure the footage until nearly four days after his disappearance, raising concerns about procedural lapses.

Evidence obtained by the investigation team reveals that Maritim’s phone remained operational after he disappeared. On the evening of the 28th, at 7:24 p.m., hours after he was last seen, his device transferred Ksh.10,000 to Felix Kimutai Magut.

Further transactions followed. At 4:49 a.m., Ksh.3,500 was sent to the same recipient. On the morning of October 29th, the phone was used to purchase mobile data. Later that evening, at 5:00 p.m., another transfer of Ksh.15,000 was made to Magut.

On the night preceding his disappearance, Maritim was reportedly with his partner, Mercy Chebichii. She expressed frustration over the sluggish response from investigators, noting that their phones were not confiscated until days later, despite being with Maritim during his final known hours.

“For me today, niseme nimedissapear, of course si watatafuta yule rafiki yangu wa karibu wamuulize nilipitia wapi? But today ndio wamechukua hizo simu for investigation, which is too late. This is the seventh day for a missing person; it’s too late for them to collect,” Mercy Chebichii, Maritim’s friend, said.

Chief investigator Daniel Muleli of Uasin Gishu County admitted that no substantial leads have surfaced regarding Maritim’s location.

“We are doing a physical search. We have also submitted his phones to the cybercrime unit for exploitation, perhaps there could be any information that could lead us to what happened,” Said Muleli, who is the Uasin Gishu CCIO.

In 2022, Maritim was abducted and later found in Bungoma County.