NAIROBI, Kenya- Police have opened an investigation into the disappearance of Nairobi lawyer Abshir Ahmedsadak Abdi after CCTV footage appeared to show armed men forcing him into a vehicle along Muchai Road.
Abdi was seized in the early hours of Sunday, November 1, on Muchai Road, off Ngong Road.
Footage timestamped at about 4:43am shows a man believed to be Abdi running towards a gate as armed men pursue him.
One man pulls him to the ground before others surround him and force him into a black vehicle, according to reports describing the footage.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohamed Amin said the National Police Service had received a report about Abdi’s disappearance and constituted a team to investigate.
Amin denied that police were involved in the abduction, saying the service “was not a party” to the incident.
He asked the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to share any information that could assist investigators.
Family asks High Court to intervene
Abdi’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 in court or account for his whereabouts.
Court documents state that armed men in tactical clothing allegedly forced Abdi into a black Toyota Land Cruiser Prado TX.
His white Toyota Premio was later found abandoned along Muchai Road and taken to Kilimani Police Station.
The family also wants relevant CCTV footage and other records preserved as investigations proceed.
The application raises concern that Abdi’s disappearance could be connected to a criminal case at the Makadara Law Courts in which he was involved.
His brother has also alleged that the lawyer had previously received threats from people he believed were linked to security agencies.
Those allegations have not been independently established.
Amin urged anyone with information about the disappearance to share it with investigators or oversight bodies.
Abdi’s whereabouts remained unknown as police investigated the incident.
