DCI denies police role in lawyer Abshir abduction as CCTV shows last moments
The lawyer reportedly went missing on November 1, 2026, following an incident involving armed and masked men along Muchai Drive, off Ngong Road, in Nairobi's Kilimani area.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has denied claims that police officers were involved in the alleged abduction of Nairobi lawyer Abshir Ahmedsadak Abdi, saying a team of investigators has been formed to establish the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
Speaking during the launch of the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) Strategic Plan 2026–2030, DCI Director Mohamed Amin maintained that the National Police Service (NPS) was not involved in the incident, adding that investigations had already begun.
He said the police had received a report concerning the lawyer's disappearance and had assigned competent officers to investigate the matter.
"It would be remiss on my part to ignore the remarks made by the LSK council member relating to the alleged abduction of an LSK member who was prosecuting a matter before our locals. Whereas I'm not very sure whether those remarks were being made in his individual capacity, or that is the official position of the LSK. But I would like to put it on record, for purposes of these proceedings, that the National Police Service was not a party to the alleged abduction of that young lawyer," Mohamed said.
He urged the LSK to provide investigators with any information that could help establish what happened to Abshir and speed up the investigations.
"Yes, it is true. We received the report, and we have constituted a team of competent officers to undertake that investigation, and if at all the council member or LSK for that matter had any verifiable information, I expect them to have shared that information with us, so that we can expedite our investigations," he said.
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The lawyer reportedly went missing on November 1, 2026, following an incident involving armed and masked men along Muchai Drive, off Ngong Road, in Nairobi's Kilimani area.
CCTV footage dated November 1, 2026, at around 4:43 am shows Abshir being chased by armed, masked men along the road before attempting to climb over a gate. However, one of the men pulls him down and throws him to the ground before the group surrounds him. Another man then brings a black vehicle as the others force the lawyer inside.
According to court documents, the men were allegedly armed with guns and dressed in tactical military gear before bundling him into a black Toyota Land Cruiser Prado TX.
Colleagues have also raised concerns that the incident could be connected to a case Abshir was pursuing against senior police officers.
An account shared by his colleagues indicated that he was pursued by two vehicles, a Toyota Prado TX and a double-cab pickup, whose occupants were reportedly armed. Two of the occupants were said to have been dressed in what appeared to be police uniforms and bulletproof vests.
His vehicle was later recovered along Muchai Drive, with the incident reported at Kilimani Police Station under OB number 55/1/11/2026.
The colleagues further alleged that Abdi had previously faced intimidation over his involvement in the case.
On Tuesday, former LSK president Eric Theuri demanded Abshir's immediate release and called on Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Principal Secretary for Internal Security Raymond Omollo to intervene.
“An attack against an advocate is an attack on the administration of justice and due process of law. The involvement of police in extrajudicial abductions continues to prevail despite repeated assurances that they will end. The police cannot behave as if the life of a Kenyan doesn’t matter; they are not above the law,” Theuri said in a post on X.
He further urged the government officials to establish the lawyer's whereabouts and ensure his safety.
“Intervene and urgently release our colleague from your agents,” Theuri said.
Despite this, DCI Director Mohamed defended the conduct of police officers, maintaining that arrests conducted by the service were guided by the Constitution, the Criminal Procedure Code and the National Police Service Standing Orders.
"I wish to state that every arrest by the NPS officers is governed by the Constitution. It is governed by the Criminal Procedure Code, and also the National Police Service Standing Orders," he said.
He added that suspects arrested by police are processed at police stations, presented before court within the stipulated 24 hours and accorded their full rights.
Mohamed also said the DCI's records were accessible to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and other institutions mandated to oversee the police service.
Meanwhile, Abshir's brother, Zakaria Abshir, has filed an urgent habeas corpus application at the Milimani High Court, seeking orders compelling security agencies to produce the lawyer before court and explain his whereabouts.
Zakaria told the court that his brother had previously received threats from officers allegedly linked to the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the DCI, the Counter Terrorism Bureau (CTB) and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The officers allegedly warned Abshir to withdraw from the case or risk abduction and death.
The family is seeking orders compelling the NIS, Directorate of Military Intelligence, NPS, DCI and CTB to produce the lawyer before court within 24 hours, alongside any warrant or detention order authorising his arrest or detention.
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