Amnesty Kenya has released a joint press statement together with the Law Society of Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya condemning the fate of the two missing persons whose bodies were discovered at the Nairobi Funeral Home- formerly City Mortuary.
In the statement released on Friday, January 31, 2025, the groups demanded a postmortem examination of the two bodies to determine the cause of their deaths.
“The Law Society of Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group are horrified by the discovery of the bodies of Justus Mutumwa and Martin Mwau, two of the three missing Mlolongo abductees. We send our deepest condolences to their families and friends. We join them in demanding an independent post-mortem to determine the cause of death,” the statement read in part.
“We call upon the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to thoroughly investigate their abduction and killing and bring perpetrators to justice. We urge the Directorate of Criminal Investigations as instructed by the court to urgently, effectively, impartially, and transparently investigate the abductions of Steven Mbisi and Kalani Mwema and ensure their safe return to their families.”
Establish missing persons database
Equally, the groups called on the National Police Service to establish a missing persons database to ensure efficiency, seamless interagency communication, and quick communication with victim families to resolve missing persons cases.
The bodies, noted with concern the denial of knowing the whereabouts of any of the missing persons by the police and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) despite the fact that the individuals were taken to the morgue by police officers from Ruai.
“We remain concerned by admissions under oath by the Inspector General of Police and the Director of Criminal Investigations on 30 January 2025, that they did not have any knowledge of where Justus Mutumwa and Martin Mwau were despite the two men’s bodies were delivered to the Nairobi Funeral Home by officers from Ruai Police Station,” the statement added.
DCI boss in court
While appearing in court after snubbing summonses in the company of the Inspector General of Police, DCI boss Mohamed Amin denied knowledge of the whereabouts of the missing Mlolongo three.
“I wish to state my lord that the missing persons are not under the custody of the National Police Service. We have not arrested and they are not under our custody. Under the circumstances my lord, we can neither produce their bodies pursuant to the right of habeas corpus nor can we formally prefer any charges against them in view of the fact that they are not under our custody my lord,” Amin told the court.
However, upon the discovery of the body of Justus Mutumwa on January 30, 2025, police issued a statement challenging the version of the deceased’s parents and lawyer Dan Maanzo.
“It is notified to the general public that contrary to reports circulating in both Mainstream and social media, the facts surrounding the tragic discovery of the body of the late Justus Mutumwa today are inaccurate,” police spokesman Muchiri Nyaga said.
The police service maintained that Mutumwa’s body had been discovered floating along the Nairobi River in Ruai on December 18, 2024, but an analysis of the body only confirmed lately that it was Mutumwa’s.
“Meanwhile, the body remained unknown until yesterday (January 29, 2025) when forensic investigations led by the relevant department was able to point out it was indeed that of the missing Justus Mutumwa,” police said.
