Missing Githurai protester released after being abducted by police one month ago speaks

A family in Kiambu's Witeithie area can now breathe a sigh of relief after their missing kin, who was reportedly abducted during anti-government protests, was found safe and sound.

28-year-old Joseph Mwangi, alias Mwas, was taken from the Githurai 45 area on June 18, blindfolded, and driven to an unknown location.

After being transferred between multiple police stations, he was finally moved to Muthaiga Police Station on Monday night before being released last Tuesday.

A spot check by Citizen TV on the station's occurrence book revealed there was no record of Mwangi's arrest.

Looking weak and frail, Mwangi walked into the Kasarani Police Station accompanied by his mother and lawyers seeking to withdraw a missing person case reported last month, 8 days after he disappeared on June 18.

“Tulikuja hapa kureport on June 26th baada ya kumkosa kwa simu kwa siku kadhaa. Sister yake alitupea pressure akisema Mwangi hawezi kunyamaza sana hivyo,” said his mother Tabitha Wanjiru Kairu.

Mwangi went missing in Githurai 45 during the onset of anti-government protests. He was reportedly abducted alongside a group of youths during a crackdown by a rogue police unit.

“Nilishikiwa Githurai 45 nikiwa natoka job saa hizo jioni. Sikuambiwa sababu ya kushikwa na tulishikwa wengi…mimi niliblindfoldiwa na sijui kwenye nilipelekwa," he lamented.

What followed were days of horror and nightmares for Mwangi. He recounted how his abductors blindfolded him whenever he was moved from one police station to another.

“Nilijiskia nikiwa nimepelekwa kwa ki-room…sijui kwenye nilikuwa. At one point sijui kwenye tulipelekwa," he added.

His disappearance left his family distraught. As days passed without any sight of him, they feared the worst and so a frantic search in hospitals and morgues began.

“Siwezi taka mzazi mwingine apitie kile nimepitia…tumeenda mortuary, hospitali…the worst experience was to go to the mortuary...hujui kama mtu amekufa, naangalia bodies…one after the other,” said Wanjiru.

Lawyers and members of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) said the abduction left him traumatized.

“The circumstances surrounding his arrest are unclear…it has been hell for this boy,” said Stephen Mbugua.

Joseph was released on Tuesday this week, almost a month after his abduction. He found himself at the Muthaiga Police Station, though there was no record of his arrest in the station’s occurrence book.

“He was not booked anywhere nor was he produced at the court for charges…he was detained incommunicado,” Mbugua added.

Lawyers and human rights groups fear there could be more similar unreported cases, with many demonstrators being plucked from the streets or their homes by unidentifiable men believed to be police officers.