Rights groups accuse police of abducting lawyer Hassan Nandwa

Hours after abducted lawyer Hassan Nandwa was found abandoned in Mwingi, Kitui County, Muslim leaders and civil society organisations have decried the increased cases of abductions and violations of human rights.

They allege that Nandwa, a Muslim scholar and advocate of the High Court, who went missing 12 days ago while discharging his professional duties was abducted by government security agents.

According to a statement by the chairman, Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, Hassan Ole Naado, senior people in the government are responsible for the suffering of Muslims.

“There are responsible for the suffering of Muslims and if they decide to continue with this culture of repression, history will judge them harshly for violating the rights of citizens of this country,” his statement on November 8 read in part.

Naado says that since January, over 133 people have been killed or made to disappear.

He alleges that from 2007 over 1000 people have been killed and disappeared in the hands of security agencies and only 28 cases are in courts.

Addressing Nandwa’s disappearance the lobby groups said he was found dumped in a bush in Mwingi, Kitui County at 1am, from where he dragged himself to seek assistance.

“Like similar incidents before, he has been ordered not to speak about his horrid experience or else face brutal consequences. He is in the hands of his relatives and was found not in good health,” they said.

Apart from Nandwa, the groups highlighted four other cases of abduction, where people were ‘arrested’ by men posing as government security officials and only to disappear.

Jamia Mosque official Abu Ayman told the media that Nandwa was found abandoned in Mwingi town last night.

He had been reported missing on October 29 after which the family of the Muslim scholar pleaded with the government to help find him.