Son of ICC man fearful after night abduction

Samuel Kiprop, the son of Jonah Kipngetich during an interview in Gilgil, Nakuru County on December 19, 2021, after three unknown people abducted him in Nakuru the previous day and dumped him in Kigio Conservancy. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The son of a missing witness in a case at the International Criminal Court claims his life is in danger after unknown people abducted and dumped him in a conservancy in Nakuru County.

Samuel Kiprop, the son of Jonah Kipng’etich, says his kidnappers duped him to deliver drinking water to their car on Saturday evening.

“Three men pulled over at a shop where I work in a white Toyota Noah. They ordered me to board the vehicle and drove towards Lanet while interrogating me about the ICC case.”

His father, Kipng’etich, was to be a witness at the ICC. He was to testify against Deputy President William Ruto and journalist Joshua Sang but reportedly withdrew from the case before disappearing six years ago.

According to Kiprop, his father went missing in March 2014 after which the ICC dropped the case against Ruto and Sang.

“My father has been missing for years now. The three people wanted to know the kind of people I have been in contact with especially those at the ICC. I had no such details.”

Kiprop said that his abductors drove towards Naivasha in the cover of darkness. They made several stops along the way as they searched for contacts in his mobile phone.

“They had a copy of The Standard newspaper in which the plight of my family had been highlighted. One of them pulled out a knife and placed it on my neck as they demanded for any information I have,” said Kiprop.

After driving for hours, Kiprop said the men ordered him to disembark from the vehicle a short distance after the Gilgil weighbridge and led him deep into Kigio Wildlife Conservancy.

“After walking for a few kilometers, they ordered me to lie face-down on the ground. One of them told me to say my final prayer. I only broke into tears, fearing for my life,” he said.

But his captors spared his life and walked away, leaving him stranded and shaken in the vast conservancy at around 11pm. He spent the night in the cold and hitched a ride in the morning to Gilgil Police Station where he reported the matter.

“I am now fearing for my security. I lost my national ID in the process. I don’t know where to go since I am not sure how these people traced me. I am only hoping that my father is still alive somewhere,” said Kiprop, even as he appealed for help to find his missing father.