The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has demanded the immediate release of Nairobi advocate Abshir Ahmedsadak Abdi, who was forcibly taken by a group of armed and masked men in Kilimani, as CCTV footage of the incident spread widely online and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) denied that police officers were behind it.

According to his family and fellow lawyers, Abshir, a partner at Abshir & Njagi Advocates, was driving along Muchai Drive off Ngong Road in the early hours of Sunday, November 1, when two vehicles, a black Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and a black double-cab pick-up, boxed him in close to Kilimani Police Station.

What the footage shows

Clips published by Kenyans.co.ke show a man running towards a gate before he is caught, pulled to the ground and kicked by several men. He is then blindfolded and pushed into a dark SUV, which drives off. Lawyers say some of the men wore tactical gear and police-style uniforms, including bulletproof vests.

His damaged car was later towed to Kilimani Police Station, where the incident was booked. His brother, Zakaria Abshir, has filed a habeas corpus application at the Milimani High Court asking that the National Intelligence Service, Military Intelligence, the National Police Service, the DCI and the Anti-Terror Police Unit be compelled to produce him. The family says he had received threats warning him to withdraw from a case. The matter is due for directions on November 9.

LSK links abduction to criminal case

In a statement on Tuesday, LSK President Charles Kanjama said Abshir is the complainant and a key witness in a criminal case before the Makadara Law Courts, and that his abduction appears designed to intimidate him. The society asked Inspector General Douglas Kanja to act, the DCI to preserve all CCTV evidence and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate any officers involved.

Former LSK President Eric Theuri described the incident as an attack on the justice system. "An attack against an advocate is an attack on the administration of justice," he said, adding that "the police cannot behave as if the life of a Kenyan doesn't matter."

DCI denies police role

Speaking in Nairobi on Tuesday, DCI Director Mohamed Amin said the National Police Service "was not a party" to the alleged abduction and that a team had been formed to trace the lawyer. He asked the LSK to share any verifiable information and said police records were open to IPOA.

The case adds to growing concern among rights groups over enforced disappearances in Kenya. Abshir's whereabouts remained unknown by Tuesday evening, with lawyers vowing to keep pressure on the authorities until he is found.

Photos: Kenyans.co.ke (CCTV footage via Eric Theuri SC); Citizen Digital (courtesy file photo). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.