NAIROBI: Four Kenyan police officers from a notorious unit linked to extrajudicial killings and other crimes were charged on Monday for the disappearance of three, including two Indian nationals – Balaji Telefilms’ former COO Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan and his friend Zaid Sami Kidwai.
The officers were part of the feared Special Service Unit (SSU) that was shut down last week by President William Ruto over accusations of involvement in a spate of abuses, abductions and violent murders.
The accused appeared in court and were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and abduction over the disappearance in July of Khan and Kidwai, who were part of Ruto’s campaign team. Their driver, a Kenyan, also vanished and has not been found.
According to the chargesheet, the accused officers were suspected of dumping the three missing men in the Aberdares, a densely forested national park about 150km from Nairobi. “Thisinvestigation is complex and requires more time and collaboration with other government agencies, including India,” Kenyan state prosecutors said in court papers.
They told the court they had “faced interference and threats to life from serving public servants, including cops” since taking on the case. The controversy surrounding the disappearance of the three men led Ruto to disband the SSU, which was formed over 20 years ago, and has been linked to a string of crimes. Agencies
The officers were part of the feared Special Service Unit (SSU) that was shut down last week by President William Ruto over accusations of involvement in a spate of abuses, abductions and violent murders.
The accused appeared in court and were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and abduction over the disappearance in July of Khan and Kidwai, who were part of Ruto’s campaign team. Their driver, a Kenyan, also vanished and has not been found.
According to the chargesheet, the accused officers were suspected of dumping the three missing men in the Aberdares, a densely forested national park about 150km from Nairobi. “Thisinvestigation is complex and requires more time and collaboration with other government agencies, including India,” Kenyan state prosecutors said in court papers.
They told the court they had “faced interference and threats to life from serving public servants, including cops” since taking on the case. The controversy surrounding the disappearance of the three men led Ruto to disband the SSU, which was formed over 20 years ago, and has been linked to a string of crimes. Agencies
