The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has revealed shocking details about the abduction of his son, Leslie, by officers from the National Intelligence Service (NIS), disclosing that his release only occurred after President William Ruto personally intervened.
In a statement provided to detectives at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and shared with the media, Muturi described the distressing incident, which began on June 22, 2023, when armed, hooded men abducted Leslie in the Kilimani area of Nairobi.
Despite reaching out to top security officials, Muturi stated that none of them acknowledged the incident as a police operation, although they promised to help locate his son. Efforts to contact NIS Director-General Noordin Haji were unsuccessful, as Haji did not respond to Muturi’s calls.
Muturi later learned from an intelligence officer that NIS agents were holding his son. He escalated the matter by contacting then-Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, who managed to speak with Haji. However, Kindiki relayed Haji’s denial of any NIS involvement. “Despite my insistence that an NIS officer had confirmed their involvement, Kindiki insisted that the Director-General could not lie,” Muturi recalled.
Frustrated by the lack of progress, Muturi decided to directly contact President Ruto, first by sending a WhatsApp message. When it went unread, he drove to State House to meet the president in person.
Muturi explained that Ruto told him his phone had crashed due to an overload of messages. After hearing the full story, the president reportedly joked, “Why would anyone arrest a young person over the Gen Z demonstrations?” before trying to fix his phone. When that failed, Ruto called Haji directly.
“Standing outside the Pavilion, I overheard the president ask Haji if he was holding my son. Haji confirmed it, and the president instructed him to release Leslie immediately,” Muturi said. Haji assured Ruto that Leslie would be freed within an hour.
“Just over an hour later, Leslie called me to say he had been released and was at home,” Muturi added.
Muturi’s statement, which reveals confidential conversations, including his interaction with the president and the direct call to the head of the NIS, sheds light on the inner workings of the security forces. These forces had previously denied involvement in the growing number of abductions across the country.
This incident highlights the increasing trend of detentions, often targeting dissenting voices critical of the government, such as those who express their views online through posts, satirical cartoons, or symbolic imagery of prominent figures, including the president.
While President Ruto has condemned the provocative actions of the youths involved, leaders in his administration, including newly appointed Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, have pledged to take legal action against them.
Just last week, seven young men who were abducted in December 2023 were released, with security forces denying they were holding them.
