<\/a>judge has warned he will imprison top security officials for contempt of court on Monday if they fail to appear for a third time to account for a recent string of alleged abductions.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe case is linked to the disappearances documented by Kenya’s National Commission on Human Rights since nationwide protests against proposed tax hikes began last June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At least 24 are said to still be missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The police and government deny kidnapping and illegally detaining protesters, but the country has a history of state-sponsored abductions, and some Kenyans fear they are returning to that dark past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Directorate of Criminal Investigations Director Mohamed Amin were ordered to produce in court seven social media influencers who disappeared in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Five suddenly reappeared in early January at various locations across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr Kanja’s lawyers asked the court for more time to record statements from them and file a report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Billy Mwangi is one of the five. The 24-year-old was dropped off by his alleged abductors 75km (46 miles) from his hometown in Embu, in central Kenya, in an apparent act of intimidation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Billy’s father, Gerald Mwangi Karicha, told the BBC his son was traumatised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The boy has not shared a lot,” he said. “All I can say is that when he came, he was not his usual self. He looked to be in shock.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Billy, a college student who had been a vocal critic of the government on social media, disappeared on 21 December 2024 while at a barbers’ shop in Embu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to witnesses, hooded men arrived in a Toyota Fielder and a double-cabin pick-up, bundled him into one of the vehicles and sped off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Within hours, his family’s worst fears began to unfold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Most weekends, we are together watching football. His club is Chelsea; mine is Arsenal,” Gerald said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He called Billy to discuss a football match on the evening of his disappearance, only to find his son’s phone switched off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The barbers’ shop owner later informed him of the abduction, triggering a frantic search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Billy’s mother collapsed when she heard the news and the weeks that followed were agonising for the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As soon as he was found, Billy was taken to hospital for a routine check-up. His family says he is still recovering from the trauma, but his release has brought them some measure of relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like many who have reappeared after alleged abductions, Billy has said little about his ordeal, perhaps out of fear. [BBC News]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The reported disappearance of more than 80 government critics over the last six months has caused a huge public backlash in Kenya. A judge has warned he will imprison top security officials for contempt of court on Monday if they fail to appear for a third time to account for a recent string of alleged …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8094,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t