Family in Embu demands answers after son's alleged abduction over AI-generated post

A day after Citizen TV highlighted the abduction of Peter Muteti for allegedly posting an AI generated picture offensive to President William Ruto another family in Embu has come out demanding for the release of their son, Billy Mwangi, who was allegedly abducted in the same manner on Saturday afternoon.

Mwangi's family says he was forcibly taken away from a barber shop by four armed men who wore masks and were traveling in a double cabin pick up before speeding off towards the Embu-Nairobi Highway.

The incident has sparked fear not just among family members who received the information from a witness but also residents who witnessed the drama unfold in broad daylight.

"Kinyozi Aliniambia kijana yako alikuwa hapa anangojea turn yake ya kunyolewa  ikakuja ikasimama wakaendea kijana wakamchukua juu juu akawauliza ni nini nimefanya wakasema wewe kijana twende utajulia mbele, walikuwa wameva mask hakuna mtu alipiga picha watu walikuwa scared," Gerald Mwangi, Billy's father, told Citizen TV.

Since Saturday the family has conducted searches across the county with no success. They say they are still in the dark over what could have led to his abduction with reports indicating that a post he made on X with an AI generated picture which depicted President Ruto in bad light could have been the reasons as why he was a target of abduction.

"Mimi nataka kuomba in the event that it is the government which abducted this boy over this social media thrash mimi naomba serikali yetu, hii serikali tulifanyia kampeni mpaka ikashinda, mimi naomba Ruto kama ni wewe uko na huyo kijana naomba aachiliwe hata mimi anajua ni disciplinary I will discipline him," the young man's father said.

"Kama watoto wanakosea waache kutumia ile force kubwa kutumana bouncer wanne wamejiweka masks hata hao watoto watakuwa traumatized, guide hawa watoto na njia ya uzazi najua pia nyinyi ni wazazi," Regina Wairimu, Mwangi's Mother, added.

Embu Police Commander Samuel Muthamia who confirmed receiving the report of the alleged abduction and denied involvement of police officers from the area says detectives in the area have commened investigations.

Muthamia has however expressed concerns in locating Mwangi as his phone was switched off minutes after his abduction.  

"The unfortunate bit here is that no one took the number plate of the double cabin, immediately after he was taken away his phone was switched off we are trying to find out his whereabouts ... We have deployed all mechanisms of work to establish where he could be,"  Muthamia said.

The incident came days after another abduction case in Uthiru, Nairobi. Peter Muteti, a social media influencer who posted another AI generated picture on X was kidnapped by four armed men at a local supermarket ...

Muteti's family is yet to trace the 22 year old three days later. The matter is under probe at Kabete Police Station ...

Kirinyaga Leaders, including Senator James Murango and MP Jane Njeri, have condemned the recent abduction cases and want the government to come clean on the issue ...

The latest cases have raised concerns over the ghosts of abductions with 26 young people still missing since the anti-government protests between June and August.