Detectives investigating the alleged abduction and torture of Juja Member of Parliament George Koimburi were on Monday and Tuesday blocked from accessing him at a city hospital, further deepening the mystery surrounding the legislator’s dramatic disappearance and reappearance.
The team of investigators, who sought to assess Koimburi’s condition and interrogate the medical team attending to him, was turned away by his family, according to police sources. The refusal frustrated attempts by authorities to gather firsthand information on the alleged ordeal.
The MP claimed he was abducted on Sunday afternoon outside a church in Mugutha, Kiambu County, and later dumped at a coffee plantation on Monday, with visible injuries on his body. However, police remain skeptical about the authenticity of the incident.
Police Spokesman Michael Muchiri dismissed claims that the MP was abducted by law enforcement, instead suggesting the possibility that the incident may have been staged or conducted by unknown individuals.
“On Friday, May 23, the MP, having been fully aware of police intentions to arrest him over a land fraud case, evaded a police dragnet and fled on a motorcycle alongside his private security,” said Muchiri. “He then switched off his phone and disappeared.”
Muchiri revealed that only Koimburi’s driver was apprehended during the failed arrest, later released after giving a statement. “The Hon. MP only resurfaced today amid the abduction claims,” he added.
Police from Juja visited the alleged scene of the abduction and documented it. Meanwhile, a special team from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is analyzing an amateur video that allegedly captured part of the incident, aiming to determine its authenticity and identify those involved.
The police have appealed to members of the public with any relevant information to come forward through DCI’s toll-free numbers.
On Monday, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua added fuel to the fire, claiming the MP had been tortured by professionals and left with serious soft tissue injuries.
Speaking during a press conference after visiting the legislator in hospital, Gachagua said Koimburi had also lost his voice due to a chemical he was allegedly forced to inhale. “Doctors say that chemical has interfered with his vocal cords,” he stated.
The incident has triggered fresh debate on enforced disappearances and political intimidation, with leaders demanding thorough investigations into the matter.
