Justice Mturi Condemns Rising Abductions As Erosion Of Rule Of Law In Kenya

In a stark warning to the nation, Honorable Justice Mturi has decried the recent surge in abductions carried out under the guise of law enforcement, describing the trend as a dangerous departure from constitutional policing to a campaign of state-sanctioned terror.

Speaking on the escalating reports of individuals being forcibly taken by masked, often armed officers operating in unmarked vehicles, Justice Mturi condemned these actions as blatant violations of Kenya’s Constitution.

“What we are witnessing is not the enforcement of law — it is the erosion of it,” he stated.

According to Justice Mturi, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), traditionally a respected agency, has been implicated in orchestrating clandestine operations that bypass legal safeguards.

“Instead of lawful arrests or summonses, these operations resemble shadowy kidnappings,” he said, noting that victims—many young activists and vocal critics—are often held without charge or access to legal counsel.

Kenya’s Constitution, under Article 49, guarantees arrested persons the right to be promptly informed of charges, to legal representation, and to be presented before a court within 24 hours.

Justice Mturi emphasized that these fundamental rights are being systematically ignored, undermining the foundations of justice.

He further warned that the use of disguises, night-time raids, and unmarked vehicles are tactics more commonly associated with authoritarian regimes than democratic policing.

“Security that dismisses due process is not security — it is impunity,” he remarked, highlighting that such actions diminish public trust and blur the line between legitimate authority and criminality.

Justice Mturi expressed deep concern over the normalization of these abuses, pointing out that media and officials often downplay or dismiss reports of abductions as routine police activity.

“History teaches us that tyranny thrives in silence,” he cautioned.

As ordinary citizens grapple with fear and uncertainty, Justice Mturi called on the government to restore constitutional order and respect for human rights, urging that justice must be anchored in law—not fear.