MPs allied to Deputy President William Ruto have condemned the abduction and torture of Digital Strategist Dennis Itumbi.
The MPs pointed an accusing finger at state agencies claiming that the hit squad still exists.
“Itumbi has confirmed that his abductors took turns to beat him while warning him that the torture was revenge for his social media coverage, ” the MPs said in a statement read by Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika.
The MPs alleged that the abductors demanded that Itumbi stop discussing David Mwendwa, son of the Inspector-General of the National Police Service, who is under investigation following a road accident that claimed the lives of two bodaboda riders.
The MPs also included Kipchumba Murkomen, Aaron Cheruiyot, Ben Washiali, Ndindi Nyoro, Kimani Ichungwa, Gladys Shollei, and Rigathi Gachagua.
“The criminal squad handcuffed him from behind and tied his legs with a rope. They told him he knew why they were arresting him upon his inquiry and added he will know more when he would be interrogated by the boss who he must support. On saying he would rather die than support anyone’s cause by coercion, that’s is when the beatings and torture started,” the MPs alleged.
The MPs claimed that following Itumbi’s abduction, a campaign of misinformation intensified by some individuals and bloggers affording the criminals ample time to perform their heinous acts.
“It is clear from the intensity of this disinformation that Itumbi’s abduction and torture were orchestrated and resourced from highly-placed quarters,” they said.
“We demand Impartial and independent investigation and President to constitute a commission of inquiry into the existence of a criminal squad targeting political players,” added the MPs.
Murkomen said they intend to write to the special rapporteur on human rights over the incident and many others. “What is unjust here is unjust all over the world,” he said.
Ichungwa said Itumbi had told him from his hospital bed he will be unbroken despite his attack.
“He is thankful that he is alive despite some plans to assassinate him. If they thought they will break him then they are in a rude shock. He will continue,” said the MP.
He claimed the incident was done by state agents and that some of them were helping in tracking down the whereabouts of Itumbi soon after it was reported.
Wakili Gitobu Imanyara states that ”as one who has gone through the near-death experience visited on Denis Itumbi, I would like to add my meek voice to those who have expressed anger and horror at what is gradually becoming an entrenched culture of state-sponsored or condoned the practice of a police state take root in Kenya.”
Lawyer Gitobu has blamed the authority for the torture of Itumbi saying that it’s not abiding with the rule. “We must speak out against state agents of terror behaving as if there is no rule of law in this country. There are too many cases, occurring far too regularly, and with total impunity, of law enforcement officers or their agents, taking the law into their own hands to satisfy “orders from above.”
Imanyara added that no condition is permanent “To these agents of terror, let them know “no condition is permanent” and their day of reckoning is nigh. We have seen many of you before you. We have seen and witnessed the hand of the ICC in action.”
Gitobu concludes that as the long night of impunity gives way to the bright light of a new day in a few months, there is a time one to be called to account, and answers will arrive for the monstrous acts of criminality. However, he has said that one should not be entitled to shed life, suffer life-long injuries, and other indescribable bodily acts of torture to get a new Constitution in vain.
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