21 SSU officers grilled as probe into extrajudicial killings begins
Twenty-one police officers from the recently disbanded Special Services Unit (SSU) of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) were on Friday grilled by detectives from the Internal Affairs Unit of the National Police Service over alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the country.
The grilling came just a day after President William Ruto announced at the Mashujaa Day celebrations his administration’s intent to launch investigations into alleged police killings and enforced disappearances.
According to a Citizen TV report, the officers that were grilled include two chief inspectors, one inspector of police, three officers of the rank of sergeant, 10 corporals and five police constables.
The sessions lasted the better part of the day, as the officers also recorded statements on what they know on the damning allegations.
Among the cases that came up in the grilling was the mysterious disappearance of two Indian nationals and their taxi driver earlier this year.
Mohamed Zaid Sami Kidwai, Zulfiqar Ahmed Khan and Nicodemus Mwania are said to have been abducted along Mombasa road on July24 and driven away in an unmarked car.To date, their whereabouts remain unknown.
Missing Voices has taken note of the commencement of the probe into police killings and enforced disappearances, a process that could be key in resolving multiple unexplained deaths in the country.
We laud President Ruto’s administration for its political goodwill that has enabled the launch of investigations.
We also appreciate the National Police Service for its urgent action in this grave matter.
Together with many other rights group defender organizations, we would like to urge all institutions involved to ensure conclusive investigations are conducted and all persons found culpable taken to court to account for their actions.
We would like to reiterate that the ultimate end for the proceedings should be to find justice for all the affected families, many of whom still have hope of seeing their kin alive.
