Indian Court Orders Kenya to Produce Missing Media Owner

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Chrispen

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Thursday August 17, 2023 –India now wants Kenya to produce journalist Zulfiqar Khan who went missing while in Kenya, last year.

A court siting in India directed three entities believed to be able to trace the journalist to provide his details and whereabouts in three weeks’ timeline.

Khan, a journalist by profession, disappeared on July 23 last year 2022 in Westlands where he was based working with a digital media team attached to President William Ruto’s campaign machinery.

And making the ruling in court, Justice Subramonium Prasad admitted prayers from journalist’s sister who told the court that the kin had been detained in Kenya, illegally.

“Notice was issued on July 12. The status report has yet not been filed. Let the status report be positively filed within three weeks,” Judge Subramonium Prasad ruled.

The Ministry of External Affairs together with other relevant authorities have now to use all avenues possible in coordination with the Kenyan government to produce the journalist who has spent now a year in darkness.

Khan, brother and their driver disappeared after they were accosted by people claiming to be Kenyan police officers; and since then, no one has ever seen them.

“To the best of the knowledge of the petitioner and their family, they are being detained on the authority of and on the instruction of Kenyan Local Police,” the petition filed by Khan’s sister partly read.

The sister to Khan added to tell the court that she cannot be sure whether the victims are alive or not because there has never been any form communication since then.

She further explained that her communication with the kin was cut shot since last year when they were kidnapped.

Following President William Ruto’s victory in general election, investigations into the matter started in earnest with Ruto asking the police to effect the search.

This, quickly saw about 12 Directorate of Criminal Investigation DCI officers dragged to cell before they were charged.

President Ruto continued his raid on the agency sending home the then DCI boss George Kinoti. And on October 16, more officers were also sent packing.

Mostly those attached to the Special Service Unit SSP were affected in the purge by President Ruto who immediately disbanded the outfit that he linked to increased extrajudicial killings.

Journalist Khan case is set for hearing next month on September 4 with expectations that the court will be given a full report from investigations.