The family of Bethwel Chesir, a 53-year-old man who was allegedly abducted by people believed to be police officers six days ago, has now petitioned the High Court in Eldoret to compel the government to release their kin dead or alive.
Chesir, an aide to Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen, was allegedly abducted by armed assailants at Kaptagat area in Keiyo South, Elgeyo Marakwet county on August 7.
His family says that Chesir was driving his vehicle to visit his ailing father at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret when the incident occurred.
Chesir's uncle, Richard Kiptoo said that the armed men asked Chesir and two other people who had accompanied him to identify themselves before they took Chesir to an unknown location.
"We need to know about our son's whereabouts. The government must tell us where he was taken and provide him, whether alive or dead, " said Kiptoo.
Stephen Ombego, the lawyer representing Chepsir's family said that the matter had been filed under a certificate of urgency while calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the aide.
He claimed that the aide might have been abducted for being vocal about issues of abductions and enforced disappearances.
"There is a growing trend of innocent Kenyans being abducted without any justifiable cause. In this case, Chesir was not a threat to the state at all. We want the government to release Chesir's body, whether alive or dead," stated the advocate.
Last week, Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen complained about the kidnapping of his staffer Chesir.
“We support the ongoing operation against criminals in Kerio Valley, but there are some innocent people who have been caught up in the situation, and one of them is my employee who was abducted and is missing,” said Kangogo.
In his response, Kindiki warned that security matters should not be politicised in any way.
“We have to firmly deal with those bandits and get rid of all of them, but we ask security teams not to harass innocent people in the process,” he said.
