Issack Hassan
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched investigations into the alleged abductions of young people by the police.
In a statement, IPOA chairperson Isaack Hassan said the authority was concerned with the rising cases of abductions of various persons allegedly by members of the National Police Service (NPS).
Hassan noted that he has dispatched the rapid response teams to areas of incidence, including Embu, Kajiado, and Nairobi.
“In line with provisions of Section 6(a) of the IPOA Act, which obligates the Authority to investigate any complaints related to disciplinary or criminal offences committed by any member of the Service, Rapid Response Teams were dispatched to the areas of incidents with instructions to obtain all information that may be relevant in unveiling the circumstances surrounding the abductions and whether there was police involvement as generally alleged,” read part of the statement.
The IPOA chairperson mentioned that action will be taken if any police officer is found to have been involved in the abductions.
“Where fault is found, the Authority shall make recommendations for prosecution, internal disciplinary action or any other appropriate relief, and shall make public the responses received to these recommendations,” he stated.
He further said that it is the responsibility of the NPS to protect all persons in Kenya against illegal denial of their fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution through abductions.
Hassan also called on the Inspector General of Police to take urgent measures to stop the growing and worrying trend of abductions in the country.
The statement comes after bloggers Bill Mwangi, Peter Muteti Njeru, Bernard Kavuli, and a fourth yet-to-be-identified person were abducted by alleged police officers.
The abduction incidents occurred on various dates in December 2024 across the Embu, Nairobi, and Kajiado counties.
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