NAIROBI: Two Indians who were missing in Kenya, including a former COO of a Mumbai-based telefilm company, were killed by a disbanded special service unit, a close aide of Kenyan president William Ruto was quoted as saying.
Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan, who had been with Balaji Telefilms, and his friend Mohamed Zaid Sami Kidwai, both part of the Kenya Kwanza digital campaign team, went missing with taxi driver Nicodemus Mwania from Mombasa Road in July.
The two contributed immensely to the success of Ruto’s campaign, said Itumbi, who was at the heart of Ruto’s presidential campaigns, The Nation newspaper reported. The revelation comes against the backdrop of disbandment of the Special Service Unit (SSU), a group that has been accused of extrajudicial killings. The team is suspected to be behind the disappearance of the two Indians.
President Ruto ordered the disbandment last Saturday after a probe into the disappearance of the two Indians was linked to the unit, the report said. A total of 21 detectives who served under the unit have been summoned to the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) headquarters in Nairobi on Friday, it added. Now Itumbi claims the two Indians and their driver could be dead. He did not offer any proof, only promising a part two of his expose. Just two days before the two returned to India, Itumbi recalled, he learnt the duo had lost a phone during a nightout.
“They could not be reached. Just the other day, I finally got to know their painful last moments in the hands of people whose only mission was to ensure Dr Ruto does not become President even if it means killing people,” he said. India has been in touch with the Kenyan authorities. “A police complaint was filed there soon after (reports of them going missing),” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. “Subsequently, a habeas corpus petition was filed in the Kenyan court. We understand the issue is now subjudice in the high court of Kenya and a number of hearings have taken place,” Bagchi added. The authorities are in touch with their families. “We are keeping a close eye on the issue. I am afraid they're still missing,” said Bagchi.
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