LSK, rights groups demand answers over deaths of two men from Mlolongo
The families of the victims and human rights groups hope that the investigations will lead to justice for the victims and a broader reform of the country's handling of such cases.
The Law Society of Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group are leading calls for justice following the discovery of the bodies of Justus Mutumwa and Martin Mwau. They are calling for an independent post-mortem to establish the cause of death.
In a joint statement, the groups urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to hold the responsible parties accountable for the abductions and called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to intensify efforts to locate and safely return the remaining missing men, Steven Mbisi and Kalani Mwema.
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"We urge the IPOA to conduct a comprehensive investigation into their abduction and murder, and to bring the perpetrators to justice," said the groups.
These men, abducted from Mlolongo in December 2024, have become the latest victims in a surge of abductions and extrajudicial killings that have incited widespread public outrage and urgent demands for accountability and thorough investigations by human rights groups across the nation.
The bodies of Justus Mutumwa and Martin Mwau who were reportedly abducted in Athi River, Machakos County on December 17 of last year, were found at the Nairobi City Mortuary.
The discovery of Mutumwa's body has raised further concerns over the handling of missing persons cases in Kenya.
The Law Society of Kenya, the Police Reforms Working Group and rights organisations are calling for the creation of a national missing persons database to ensure timely and effective communication between law enforcement agencies and victim families.
"We demand that the National Police Service now establish a missing persons database to ensure efficiency, seamless interagency communication, and quick communication with victim families to resolve missing persons cases," said the groups.
The National Police Service has also clarified the details surrounding the discovery of Mutumwa's body.
According to a statement, on December 18, 2024, a local woman who was irrigating her crops in the Ruai area alerted the police to a body floating in the Nairobi River, about four kilometres from the local police station.
The body was found with bruises, prompting a murder investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
At the time, Mutumwa's family had already filed a missing persons report with the Athi River Police Station on December 21, 2024, unaware that the body had been discovered several days earlier. Forensic investigations later confirmed the body was indeed that of Mutumwa.
In the wake of the discovery, the National Police Service reassured the public of its commitment to thoroughly investigate all missing persons cases and urged citizens to share any relevant information through toll-free lines or by reporting to the nearest police station.
The families of the victims and human rights groups hope that the investigations will lead to justice for the victims and a broader reform of the country's handling of such cases.
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