Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has become embroiled in a case where four suspects are facing charges for the rape and abduction of a blogger.
The four individuals, identified as Esther Muthoni John, alias Totoo, Violet Adera, alias Vayoo, Abdul Hassan Athman, alias Sindimba, and Haji Babu Ndau Mohamed, alias Achkobe, alias Jay, appeared before the Shanzu court and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They face joint charges of conspiracy to commit a felony, with the state alleging that they conspired to abduct a blogger referred to as BJK in court.
The prosecution claims that the crime took place on September 12 at an undisclosed location, and the suspects allegedly worked with accomplices who remain at large.
The suspects are also charged with abduction with intent to confine, with the state accusing them of kidnapping the blogger to secretly and unlawfully detain him.
According to the court proceedings, the abduction occurred in Bamburi Jitegemee, Kisauni.
In addition to abduction charges, Athman and Mohamed face separate accusations of gang rape, as they allegedly assaulted BJK.
Both are also charged with physically assaulting the blogger, using kicks and fists to cause injury.
All four suspects denied the charges when they appeared before Shanzu Senior Resident Magistrate Robert Mbogo.
It was revealed in court that Governor Nassir and his mother are expected to provide statements to the police as investigations into the blogger’s abduction and gang rape continue.
The court heard that authorities are making efforts to record additional statements, as there are claims that some suspects, including prominent Mombasa county officials, are being assisted in evading justice.
Corporal Irene Karuga stated that efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects and obtain statements, including those from Governor Nassir, his mother, and other county officials.
Karuga mentioned that investigators are analyzing communications between individuals of interest in the case to verify intelligence reports.
Investigators are reportedly seeking at least 15 more individuals believed to be involved in the blogger’s abduction and gang rape.
Karuga noted that communications between the suspects went silent following the initial arrests, and only four out of the suspected 15 have been apprehended so far.
Court documents reveal that earlier this month, the victim posted a video on TikTok criticizing Governor Nassir.
The documents also show that the video went viral, sparking outrage from certain social media users.
This online backlash is suspected to have motivated the blogger’s abduction and subsequent gang rape, according to Karuga.
In court, it was revealed that the victim was at home when a group entered his residence, and he was able to identify some of the intruders.
The gang reportedly lured the victim by promising to take him to a hotel in Mombasa County to apologize to the governor for his critical TikTok video, according to the affidavit submitted by the investigating officer.
The victim complied and was transported on a motorcycle, flanked by six other motorcycles carrying additional passengers.
Upon reaching the hotel, the victim was forced into a black Toyota Vitz, where he was sandwiched in the back seat.
The victim was then driven to a location near the Standard Gauge Railway station, where he was assaulted and subjected to sexual abuse.
According to the officer’s affidavit, after the assault, the victim was dressed, wrapped in a sack, and placed in the car’s trunk.
He was driven to the Mwakirunge area and dumped while unconscious.
During this time, the suspects recorded videos of the abuse, which they later used to blackmail the victim to prevent him from reporting the incident to authorities.
The suspects left the victim in a sack, and after regaining consciousness, he was able to flag down a motorcyclist, who helped him return home to call for assistance.
In an affidavit opposing the suspects’ bond request, Corporal Karuga stated that the suspects posed a flight risk and could interfere with the ongoing investigation.
Karuga revealed that Athman was arrested with a refugee certificate indicating he is a Tanzanian national named Sauda Omar.
He was also found with two Mombasa County government cards and a motorcycle believed to have been used during the abduction.
The officer emphasized the need to verify Athman’s true identity, noting that he had no fixed residence.
Mohamed was considered a flight risk as well, as he was arrested at Machakos Junction on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway while attempting to flee following the arrest of his associates.
Karuga argued that releasing Mohamed on bond would increase the likelihood of him fleeing again.
The court also learned that the two female suspects were arrested with identity documents under different names, suggesting false identities.
The prosecution requested time to verify the suspects’ identities through the National Registration Bureau and conduct DNA analysis to compare with evidence collected from the victim.
Karuga warned that the suspects could obstruct these processes if released on bond.
The defense lawyers requested the court to grant the bond, arguing that the prosecution had not presented sufficient reasons to justify continued detention.
They claimed that the case was being used for political gain by those seeking to undermine Governor Nassir’s future political aspirations.
The defense maintained that the suspects’ residences were known, and they were Kenyan citizens.
The four will remain in custody until Thursday when the court is expected to rule on their bond application.
It was reported that the two women had earlier been abducted by police.
The organization Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri) expressed concern over the women’s disappearance, stating that they had been taken by police officers on Friday and were held without communication.
Francis Auma, Muhuri’s rapid response officer, criticized the police for failing to inform the women of the reasons for their arrest and not identifying themselves, a common issue in Kenya where abduction cases have been on the rise.
A video circulating on social media captured the moment when plainclothes officers forcibly took the two women from a hotel in Mombasa’s city center.
The footage showed a struggle before the women were taken away.
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