Chief Justice Martha Koome has joined the opposition and religious leaders in criticizing the rising number of abductions in the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, December 26, CJ Koome stated that Kenya is a constitutional democracy with the rule of law as a fundamental value and guiding principle of governance.
According to Koome, there is no constitutional authorization for such forced disappearances, which violates Kenyans’ rights and freedoms.
The Chief Justice criticised the administration and urged security agencies and other relevant institutions to follow the law in order to protect fundamental rights and freedoms.
“The Judiciary has taken note of recent reports of resurfaced abductions. Kenya is a constitutional democracy, where the rule of law stands as a foundational value and guiding principle of our governance,” CJ Koome commented.
“Abductions have no place in law and indeed are a direct threat to the rights of citizens. In light of these reports, we strongly urge security agencies and all connected entities to adhere to the law,” she added.
Koome’s remarks come only hours after Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja denied allegations that the National Police Service (NPS) was involved in the kidnapping of young Kenyans.
According to IG Kanja, no police station in the country has been built to hold any individuals who have allegedly been abducted by police officers.
The police chief explained that the system, as outlined in the Service Standing Orders, requires all police arrests to be documented in the Occurrence Book for future arraignment in court.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the National Police Service is not involved in any abduction, and there is no police station in the country that is holding the reported abductees,” IG Kanja stated.
According to him, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and other independent agencies have already started looking into the incident.
IG Kanja also urged members of the public who have pertinent information about a missing individual to report it to the nearest police station.
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