Ian Sing'oei’s parents say his death not linked to recent alleged government abductions
The family of 27-year-old Ian Sing'oei, whose body was discovered in a river in the Mwiki area of Nairobi on January 4, is calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Sing'oei, the son of Elgeyo Marakwet County Commissioner John Korir, had been missing since New Year's Eve before his body was found five days later.
More To Read
- Abductions: Relief as four young men released after missing for days
- Police insist Ibrahim Mwiti was not abducted before he met his death
- Protesters plan to block major roads on Monday to demand release of abducted Kenyans
- Court orders Attorney General to file response on petition to push enforced disappearance cases to ICC
Korir, in a statement to media houses, confirmed that preliminary post-mortem results indicate his son died by drowning.
“Further investigations, including the analysis of some samples for any toxicity, are ongoing,” he said.
The family has strongly refuted speculation circulating in the media linking Ian’s case to abduction or political activism.
“We as a family have entrusted the police to conduct in-depth investigations into this incident and wish to categorically disassociate the demise of our beloved Ian from the speculations, rumours, and innuendos being circulated,” Korir stated.
He described his son as a law-abiding young professional.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our son has never been an activist nor inclined to politics. Those behind these erroneous publications are hurting the family a lot more since it is our honest contention that our son's demise has no relationship with the cases being referred to.”
Sing'oei’s death comes amid a troubling rise in cases of abductions and enforced disappearances in Kenya blamed on the government.
Just days earlier, the body of Ibrahim Mwiti, who went missing in November 2024, was buried at Lang'ata Cemetery. Mwiti’s body was discovered at Thika Level Five Hospital mortuary more than a month after his disappearance.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has reported at least 82 cases of abductions since June last year, with a surge in the last three months of 2024. The commission revealed that they recorded seven cases in December alone. Youth protests against the Finance Bill, 2024 mid last year have been linked to many of these incidents.
Abducted in December, Steve Mbisi, Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Rony Kiplang'at, and cartoonist Gideon Kibet, alias Kibet Bull, remain missing.
