5 more Kenyan cops held as Zulfiqar Khan’s kin rubbishes claims of death

The IAU have arrested four policemen from the disbanded Special Services Unit (SSU) of the country’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations. After assuming office in September Kenyan President William Ruto disbanded the unit in light of a string of allegations about the unit’s misuse of power

Mumbai: The Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) of the Kenya police arrested five more policemen in connection with the disappearance of Indian nationals Zulfiqar Khan and Mohammed Zaid Sami on July 21, even as the officer investigating the case filed an affidavit in a Kenyan court on Thursday, claiming a threat to his life.

5 more Kenyan cops held as Zulfiqar Khan’s kin rubbishes claims of death

Khan, the former Chief Operations Officer of Balaji Telefilms went missing from the Ole Sereni area in Kenya along with Sami and Nicodemus Mwange, a Kenyan taxi driver who was ferrying the two.

The IAU have arrested four policemen from the disbanded Special Services Unit (SSU) of the country’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations. After assuming office in September Kenyan President William Ruto disbanded the unit in light of a string of allegations about the unit’s misuse of power.

On Wednesday, the IAU arrested five more policemen associated with the SSU, including Corporal Joseph Mbaya and Police Constables David Kipsoi, Stephen Matunda, Paul Muriithi and Simon Gikonyo in connection with the case.

“From the time the applicant took over investigations, and in the course of gathering evidence, it has faced interference and threats to life from serving public servants including police officers,” an affidavit filed by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Wilhelm Kibet, IAU, in a local Kenyan court said.

The affidavit further stated that investigations have placed Mbaya and Muriithi in the Aberdares National Park, where the three victims are believed to have been taken after their alleged abduction from Ole Sereni. Meanwhile, Kipsoi and Matunda are alleged to have followed the two from Ole Sereni to Westlands and watched them till they left from Westlands to return to Ole Sereni, while one of the cars placed at the scene of the abduction is registered in Gikonyo’s name, Kibet has said in his affidavit.

Khan’s friends and family members in Mumbai, who have been raising awareness about his disappearance sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in the matter.

“We the friends of Zulfi, feel Zulfi is alive and request Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modiji, to form an investigation team and immediately launch an investigation in Kenya with the help from Kenyan Government to find Zulfi,” a statement issued by them stated.

“You may have read media reports quoting Facebook and Twitter post by Mr. Dennis Itumbi, (who does not work for the Kenyan Government) that personnel of an elite unit of DCI (Directorate of Crime Investigation) of Kenya kidnapped Zulfi along with two others. He further claims to be in the know of their ‘painful last moments’. This Facebook post by Mr Itumbi and other social media posts on Twitter by Kenyan influencers are speculative and thus misleading. The information is not supported by evidence and they seem to have built their own narratives. Most media reports are basis Mr Dennis Itumbi’s Facebook and Twitter post. The Kenyan media reportage has been largely unverified with no regard to the facts of the case or sentiments of the families affected,” the statement said.

Itumbi, whose social media profile identifies him as a digital strategist who worked on Ruto’s election, had first claimed in a Facebook post that Khan was no more. By his own admission, Itumbi himself was kidnapped and tortured by the SSU.

The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Monday that the Indian government is in touch with the Kenyan president and has requested that the investigation be expedited.

A statement issued by the Kenyan Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on Monday contended that the Inspector General of Police was to launch an inquiry and submit a report as soon as possible.

Both statements refer to Khan and Sami as being “missing”.