The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Amin Mohamed on Thursday refuted claims that the National Police Service (NPS) is holding the Kitengela 3 in their custody.
Speaking to the media on September 19, Mohamed said that the NPS is not in the business of abducting Kenyans.
“We have received reports that several people have been abducted including the so-called Kitengela 3. We have taken it upon ourselves to ensure that the matter is investigated and it is still being investigated. Mine is to assure you that we, the NPS, are not holding the Kitengela 3. They are not in our custody.” he stated.
The three, activist Bob Njagi and siblings Jamil and Aslam Longton, were abducted by suspected police officers several weeks ago and their whereabouts are still unknown.
Acting Inspector General of Police, Gilbert Masengeli.
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Kenyans.co.ke
Clarifying that the NPS is only in the business of maintaining law and order and not breaking it, he insisted that the case is being taken seriously and investigations are underway.
Mohamed explained that whenever a Kenyan is arrested by the NPS, they are taken into the custody of a gazetted police officer and they do not have covert facilities to house abducted Kenyans as is being assumed.
Once the persons are arrested, they are then booked and if they are culpable, they are then brought before court to answer to their charges.
To cement his claim that the rampant abductions being carried out in the country are not being carried out by the police, he added that abductions being a penal crime, it was the officers’ job to find, save, and bring back the abductees.
“When we talk about abductions, it is a penal code offense that we officers of the NPS are supposed to deal with decisively. Investigate, profile, and take the perpetrators or whoever is involved before the court.” He said.
The case of the Kitengela 3 has been shrouded in controversy for over a month now with most Kenyans believing that the police force was culpable of the abduction and that their political activism led to their fate.
DIG Gilbert Masengeli who was acting in the capacity of Inspector General of Police at the time of the disappearances was summoned in court to explain the predicament but failed to show to all 7 summons leading to his conviction and ultimately sentencing to 6 months in prison by Justice Lawrence Mugambi
Masengeli, who just stepped back into his role as deputy IG has yet to start his sentence and has once again failed to present himself to start his jail term.
An appeal to drop his sentence and appear before Justice Lawrence Mugambi has been denied.
Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli (left) and High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi.
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