NAIROBI,Kenya, Oct, 31 – Close to four days since Jacinta Bwire and Willis Otieno were kidnapped by unknown armed assailants en route to the former’s house along Muthaiga Drive in Nairobi’s affluent neighbourhood of Muthaiga,they have finally been released and reunited with their loved ones.
According to former Westlands Legislator Fred Gumo details as to who and why they were abducted as well as where they were detained remains a mystery for now.
Ms Bwire was released by her captors on Saturday evening at around 10pm while her driver Willis Otieno was released at around 5am Sunday morning.
Surprisingly however, it is now emerging that the two could have been abducted as part of a ploy to track down a former convicted terrorist, Elgiva Bwire.
Elgiva, who is the son of Jacinta Bwire, was released from the Kamiti Maximum Prison on Thursday, October,28,2021.
“We don’t know where Elgiva is but Jacinta and the driver (Willis) were released by the captors. They are fine and now resting,” said Gumo.
Gumo was however slightly cautious to give further information hinting that the family may speak at a later date on the shocking series of events.
Police are also yet to comment on their release and nature of abduction.
Shortly after his release from Kamiti, Elgiva was picked up by his mother, brother and nephew. He is said to have alighted from the car they were travelling in at an unknown location near the Nairobi Central Business District.
It is alleged that he was arrested by suspected police officers.
While at the CBD, his relative was also arrested and bundled into a suspected police vehicle. He was however later released and dropped off in Mlolongo area.
‘Putting The Pieces Together’
Shortly after the abduction of her son Elgiva and her nephew, Jacinta Bwire is said to have driven to her brother-in-law’s (Fred Gumo) home in Muthaiga. It is here where she was advised to report the matter to police at the Muthaiga police station.
She was driven to the police station by Gumo’s driver.
On their way back, a couple of minutes to 7pm on Thursday, a white double cabin vehicle,registration number KBY 491A, is said to have trailed their movement while approaching Muthaiga. It is here where the vehicle dramatically blocked their path, as armed assailants, ejected them from their car, bundled them into their vehicle and drove off.
The incident is said to have occurred so quickly that detectives and one of the victim’s kin, Fred Gumo, who notified police is said to have found the vehicle’s engine from which they were forcefully ejected from still running while on the driveway leading to his house.
“I have tried to call them but their phone is not going through,” said a concerned Gumo on Thursday night who further said, “If they are targeting me why should they take, them? I don’t know what they want…I am not sure,”
On Saturday evening and Sunday morning respectively,Jacinta and Willis were released by their abductors.
‘Professor Hassan Nandwa Abduction’
Immediately after Jacinta Bwire filed a missing persons report at the Muthaiga Police Station, she notified her son’s lawyer, renown islamic scholar and academician Prof. Hassan Nandwa who in turn also filed a missing persons report at the Central Police Station in Nairobi’s CBD.
In what appears to be a well coordinated plan, Prof. Nandwa was also picked up and bundled inside a car by suspected police officers and driven to an unknown location shortly after leaving Jamia Mosque in Nairobi’s CBD.
An alarm was raised by his children and wives after attempts to reach him proved futile.
Hours later at around 8pm, suspected ATPU officers are said to have stormed Prof. Nandwa’s home in Nairobi, in alleged attempts to search for his client, Elgiva Bwire.
An hour later, the search proved futile,this as his family was left traumatised by the shocking events.
Saturday religious leaders and human rights organisations condemned the kidnapping of the professor calling on the government to release him forthwith.
“It is a worrying phenomenon that the State which is supposed to be a guardian and protector for the rights of its citizens is now at the forefront of victimization of its citizens. His only crime was discharging his professional duties as a lawyer and representing a client who had finished serving his time in jail,” said SUPKEM Chairman Hassan Ole Nado.
Jacinta Bwire alongside her lawyer are said to have sought help from SUPKEM officials months before their son was scheduled to be released from prison in fear that he would be rearrested shortly after.
“They said they were concerned their son may go missing as soon as he is released because of the nature of charges he faced. There was little we could do then,” he said.
Professor Nandwa’s whereabouts still remain unknown.
‘Why Were They Abducted in the First Place?’
The family of Elgiva revealed that they might have been abducted and subsequently released due to their kin’s past involvement in terrorism.
Elgiva, alias Mohammed Seif, was arrested by police in 2011 and later convicted and sentenced to life in prison after confessing to orchestrating terror attacks in Nairobi and being an Al-Shabaab operative.
“The offence is serious and aimed at killing and a deterrent sentence is called for,” Magistrate Grace Macharia ruled back in 2011.
Nairobi was stunned by two grenade attacks at a bar and a bus terminus that killed one person and wounded more than 20 back in 2011.
He also admitted to the illegal possession of firearms, including an AK-47 rifle, a submachine gun, two revolvers, 13 live hand grenades and 770 assorted rounds of ammunition.
Want to send us a story? Contact Shahidi News Tel: +254115512797 (Mobile & WhatsApp)
