IG Kanja says Justus Mutumwa’s body was found floating in Nairobi River

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has dismissed reports surrounding the shocking discovery of a body belonging to one of three men who were allegedly abducted in Mlolongo last December.

The body of Justus Mutumwa was on Thursday positively identified at the Nairobi Funeral Home, formerly known as City Mortuary, after he went missing on December 16, 2024 alongside Martin Mwau and Karani Muema.

Mwau’s body was also, later the same day, discovered at the same facility. Muema’s whereabouts however still remain unknown.

On Mutumwa, the IG said that the police were alerted to a body floating in the Nairobi River in Ruai on December 18, 2024.

“It is notified to the general public that contrary to reports circulating in both mainstream and social media, the facts surrounding the tragic discovery of the body of the late Justus Mutumwa today are inaccurate,” IG Kanja said in a statement by new Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga.

“On December 18, 2024, at around 1400 hours, police were alerted of a body that was floating along Nairobi River, Ruai area - some 4 kilometres North of the station- by a lady who was irrigating her vegetables along the said river.”

He stated that the police immediately instituted a murder investigation, owing to the state of the body, which he said had bruises.

The IG went on to note that Mutumwa’s family only filed a person missing report at Athi River Police Station four days later on December 21, 2024.

He went on to note that the body that was retrieved from the Nairoi River remained identified until Wednesday when forensic investigators were finally able to identify it.

“The family of the late Mutumwa, oblivious to the Ruai incident, made a report of their missing kin at Athi River police station on 21/12/ 2024 (OB reference No. 23) alleging he had been missing since 17/12/2024,” stated Kanja.

“Meanwhile, the body remained unknown until yesterday when forensic investigations led by the relevant department was able to point out it was indeed that of the missing Justis Mutumwa.”

IG Kanja’s remarks come after he alongside Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Amin Mohammed appeared in court and denied knowledge of the whereabouts of the Mlolongo three abductees.

The two top security officials, who were summoned to appear before Justice Chacha Mwita to explain the whereabouts of the three men, told the court that the trio were not in police custody and the matter was still under investigation.

"We have none of the subjects, I want to confirm before this court that we have none of them,” IG Kanja said.

DCI Amin added; "Under the circumstances, we can neither produce their bodies pursuant to the habeas corpus nor can we prefer any charges against them."