NAIROBI, Kenya- The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohamed Amin has denied claims that police officers were involved in the alleged abduction of Nairobi lawyer Abshir Ahmedsadak Abdi, even as members of the legal fraternity intensify calls for his immediate release and an investigation into his disappearance.
Amin said the National Police Service (NPS) had received a report concerning Abdi’s disappearance and constituted a team of investigators to establish what happened.
Speaking during the launch of the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) Strategic Plan 2026–2030, the DCI boss maintained that the police were not party to the alleged abduction.
He urged the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to share any verifiable information that could help investigators establish Abdi’s whereabouts and expedite the investigations.
Amin also said police officers operate within the law, citing the Constitution, the Criminal Procedure Code and NPS Standing Orders as the legal framework governing arrests and detention.
Abdi reportedly disappeared in the early hours of November 1, 2026, after armed men pursued and forcibly bundled him into a vehicle along Muchai Drive, off Ngong Road, in Nairobi’s Kilimani area.
CCTV footage circulating publicly appears to show the advocate attempting to escape from his pursuers before being overpowered, restrained and forced into a black Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.
The footage, reportedly captured at approximately 4:43am, shows several men pursuing Abdi, with one of them pulling him to the ground before others surround him and bundle him into the waiting vehicle.
His white Toyota Premio was subsequently recovered along Muchai Road, with the incident reported at Kilimani Police Station under OB number 55/1/11/2026.
The circumstances surrounding the disappearance have raised concerns among lawyers, particularly over allegations that the incident could be connected to a criminal case Abdi was handling against senior security officers.
Former LSK President Nelson Havi has demanded that security agencies produce the missing advocate without further delay, insisting that explanations from the authorities cannot substitute for establishing his whereabouts.
“The police should produce Advocate Abshir Ahmedsadak Abdi without any further delay. We are not interested in explanations because they either have him or ought to know where he is,” Havi said.
Former LSK President Eric Theuri also called on Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Principal Secretary for Internal Security Raymond Omollo to intervene and secure Abdi’s release.
Theuri said the alleged abduction represented an attack on the administration of justice and the rule of law, warning that advocates must be able to represent their clients without intimidation or threats to their lives.
He further raised concerns over reports that the perpetrators were armed and that some appeared to be wearing police uniforms and bulletproof vests.
Theuri said Abdi had previously been subjected to intimidation over a case involving senior police officers, calling on the security leadership to establish his whereabouts and ensure his safe return.
Former LSK President Faith Odhiambo also expressed concern over the disappearance, urging the Inspector-General of Police and the DCI to prioritise locating the advocate and ensuring his safety.
Odhiambo said Abdi’s family and colleagues should not have to plead with authorities for answers, insisting that the State has a responsibility to protect advocates.
She called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and demanded that authorities disclose his whereabouts and the legal basis for his detention if he was being held in state custody.
“Silence is not an acceptable response,” Odhiambo said, adding that the safety of advocates was a responsibility the State must fulfil.
Meanwhile, Abdi’s family has moved to the Milimani High Court seeking orders compelling security agencies to produce him before court and account for his whereabouts.
His brother, Zakaria Abshir, filed an urgent habeas corpus application seeking orders requiring the relevant agencies to present the missing advocate before court, together with any warrant or legal authority permitting his detention.
The family has also sought preservation of CCTV footage and other records that could help establish what happened along Muchai Road.
The application has further raised concerns about possible links between the disappearance and a criminal case before the Makadara Law Courts.
The Law Society of Kenya has also condemned the incident, calling for an independent investigation and urging the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to establish whether serving police officers or other State agents participated in or facilitated the disappearance.
The society has indicated that the habeas corpus matter is scheduled for directions on November 9, 2026.
Abdi’s whereabouts remained unknown as of Tuesday, November 3, with mounting pressure on security agencies to account for his disappearance and ensure his safe return.
