Businessman Jaswant Singh Rai released days after abduction

According to his lawyer, Kioko Kilukumi, the businessman was "released" by those who kidnapped him on Friday.

CCTV footage captured on Friday evening at around 5:30 p.m. showed a Toyota Landcruiser V8 along Wood Avenue, 10 seconds later, a double cab pick-up was seen speeding and overlapping before blocking the Toyota Landcruiser at the junction of Wood Avenue and Lenana Road.

Three men armed with guns disembarked before heading straight to the driver's door.

They opened the door and forcefully removed the driver who was alone in the car before bundling him in their car and driving off. The car was left at scene and other motorists could be seen overtaking it.

It was later revealed that the abducted man was businessman Jaswant Rai, Chairman of the Rai Group of Companies, which owns West Kenya Sugar Company.

Moss Ndiwa, the Kilimani Sub-County Police Commander, confirmed to Citizen TV that his officers received a report that a vehicle had been abandoned along the road more than an hour after the abduction and that the vehicle was towed to the station.

Ndiwa also confirmed that Rai's family member did file a missing person report at the station on Saturday, a day after he was abducted, a matter that detectives at the station are looking into.

The police commander, also dismissed suggestions that police were involved in the kidnapping...

The latest incident occurred just one month after a businessman with interests in cement production, edible oils, and sawmilling was arrested after returning to the country from abroad and questioned on suspicion of sabotaging Mumias Sugar Company's revival.

The matter is still ongoing in court.

During a tour of Bungoma County on Sunday, President William Ruto linked the businessman to a group of cartels that he accused of thwarting the government's plans to reform the industry and vowed to take them on head-on.

"Kwa hivyo msikuwe na wasiwasi niko hapo chonjo kabisa nitahakikisha hii kitu inakaa chonjo na wakora wote wako hapo katikati msikuwe na wasiwasi kuna mtu atakuja kutuongelesha kiingereza hapa sijui mhindi fulani sijui nani ni nani, mwengine ananiambia Rai, Rai ni nani hapana hiyo haiwezekani hiyo No hii ni mali ya wananchi na hatuezi kukubali mtu ambaye ata take advantage of people in this region," President Ruto said. 

With the President's sentiments, questions abound about whether state agents were involved in the businessman's kidnapping.