Ndiangui Kinyagia, who went missing days ago, resurfaced on Thursday and appeared before court putting to rest growing speculation surrounding his whereabouts.
The National Police Service has now come out to deny those claims, insisting that Kinyagia was never in their custody.
In a statement released on Thursday, police said Kinyagia is still a person of interest in an ongoing investigation and has been asked to present himself at the DCI headquarters to record a statement.
“We want to make it clear that Ndiangui Kinyagia was not held by the police at any point,” said the statement. “The claims of abduction were false and misleading.”
The police warned people about faking their own abductions to stir public emotions and mislead investigations.
“These acts are criminal. They not only waste police time but also create fear and mistrust among the public,” the statement read.
The Service said it would not tolerate attempts to exploit public outrage for personal or political gain and reminded Kenyans that giving false information to the police is punishable by law.
Kinyagia’s return now shifts attention to the legal process as questions remain about his disappearance and the motives behind the dramatic turn of events.