The National Police Service (NPS) has dismissed allegations linking its officers to abductions, insisting that the claims are false and unsupported by evidence.
In a statement on Friday, July 3, the service maintained that it operates strictly within the law and reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out its constitutional mandate.
"The National Police Service (NPS) has taken note of the persistent circulation of allegations linking its officers to abductions. The Service categorically rejects these claims. They are false, misleading, and unsupported by any credible evidence," the statement read.
NPS stated that its role is clearly defined under the Constitution and that all arrests conducted by its officers follow established legal procedures, including proper documentation and timely court appearances for suspects.
"The NPS does not abduct people. Its mandate is unequivocal: to maintain law and order, prevent and detect crime, protect life and property, and arrest suspects strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law.
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"Every arrest is duly recorded in the Occurrence Book (OB), processed through lawful procedures, and suspects are presented before court within the prescribed timelines," the statement added.
The police service further noted that it has no involvement in any reported abductions and denied holding any individuals alleged to have been abducted in police custody.
"Furthermore, the Service confirms that it is not involved in any abductions, and no police station is currently holding any person reported or alleged to have been abducted," the statement further read.
Addressing reports of missing persons, NPS said every case is investigated thoroughly and noted that some investigations have revealed that certain disappearances were deliberately staged.
"Every report of a missing person or alleged abduction is investigated promptly, thoroughly, and professionally. In some instances, investigations have established that disappearances were staged with the intent to mislead the public or undermine confidence in the Service. Where criminal conduct is established, the law will be applied without hesitation," the statement noted.
The service also appealed to members of the public and other stakeholders to verify information before circulating it, while encouraging anyone with credible information about missing persons or alleged abductions to report it to the nearest police station.
"Anyone with credible information regarding a missing person or alleged abduction is urged to report it immediately to the nearest police station. The Service also calls on the public, the media, civil society, and all other stakeholders to verify information before sharing it," the statement concluded.
This comes days after Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo denied claims that there have been abduction cases under President William Ruto's regime.
Speaking on Tuesday, June 30, he denied the government's hand in the alleged abduction of activists during and after the June 25 Gen Z anniversary demonstrations.
Omollo claimed that some of the purported cases were staged for publicity stunts and to soil the reputation of the Ruto administration.
He added that all those who were arrested by police officers were arraigned in court, hence watering down the claims of forced disappearances.
"The point of the matter is that there are no abductions under President Ruto, and if there is anyone, the law and the processes are very clear; anyone who is missing should be reported as a missing person.
"As it is, the cases that I would call purported abductions, people sleeping or locking themselves in the bedroom and admitting themselves to hospitals, and they go out there to claim abduction," he stated.
Omollo accused the individuals staging abductions of causing unnecessary anxiety, maintaining that the government respected Kenyans' rights, including those who disagree with it.
"We are a responsible government, and we respect the rights of everyone to disagree with what we do and to express it in a manner that the constitution allows," he stated.
