Kwale family claims father of three missing after violent police raid

A family in Kombani has blamed police for the disappearance of their kin.

The family says the police could have abducted the man when they raided a local safe house claiming it belonged to Al Shabaab.

Juma Suleiman claims his son Abdallah Juma Mwiku, 25, was taken away from their home in Kiteje village on Friday at around 4am. He has not been seen since the raid by security agents.

The father of five told The Standard that about 15 people, armed with rifles and in police attire, stormed his house and woke up everyone. They ransacked the house, while ordering everyone to be quiet.

"The police forced their way inside. Everyone was asleep. They had flashlights. I asked who they were, and what they were after, but instead, they brandished guns and threatened to shoot me if I continued asking meaningless questions," said Suleiman.

He claims the officers spent about 20 minutes making the search, and later handcuffed his son and bundled him into a waiting car before speeding off.

He said he had gone to all the police stations in Kwale in search of his son but had not found him.

According to Suleiman, Mwiku went to Kiteje Primary School and later Darulum Secondary School in Likoni.

He said Mwiku had been studying Islam by the time he disappeared. The family has, however, not reported the matter to police, with Suleiman saying he does not see the need to do so because his son was arrested in full view of the public.

Yesterday, Matuga police chief Joel Chesire asked Suleiman to lodge an official complaint with police, saying that was the only way investigations could begin.

"How can he ascertain that the people in his house were police?" posed Mr Chesire.