A habeas corpus hearing was held at the High Court in Milimani, Nairobi, to determine the whereabouts of missing Tanzanian lawyer Abshir Abdi. The court heard that Abdi's family claims he was abducted by armed men along Muchai Road, off Ngong Road, on November 1, 2026. The family alleges that Abdi had received threats from individuals linked to the National Intelligence Service, DCI, and Counter-Terrorism Bureau, warning him to withdraw from a criminal case in which he was a witness.
Police have alleged that Abdi could be part of an extortion network that uses arrests and criminal prosecutions to punish people who refuse to pay money. An Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) officer presented allegations that Abdi had previously been investigated over alleged abductions, extortion, and malicious prosecutions. The officer claimed that Abdi's scheme involved officers from several police stations, where targeted individuals were allegedly taken after refusing to pay.
Chief Inspector Vitalis Kimutai, the Officer Commanding Station at the Counter-Terrorism Bureau in Nairobi, told the court that investigators suspected Abdi of operating an extortion network. He alleged that people who declined to pay were arrested and presented in court on fabricated charges. The court heard that Abdi had been arrested on August 13 and October 24, 2025, and presented before the Kahawa Law Courts.
The court was informed that Abdi was not being held at ATPU cells or any police station in the country. Police said investigations had begun to establish his whereabouts and identify those responsible for his disappearance. A DCI officer attached to Kilimani Police Station, Dennis Mwenda, told the court that he had reviewed CCTV footage showing the events surrounding the alleged abduction.
The footage showed a man attempting to scale a wall before three armed individuals overpowered him, bundled him into a vehicle, and drove away. Mwenda said he had visited the scene and arranged for Abdi's white Toyota Premio to be taken to Kilimani Police Station for fingerprint examination and other forensic analysis. Abdi's family, through his brother, Zakaria Abshir, has asked the court to compel security agencies to produce Abdi, dead or alive.
In court papers, Zakaria said his brother was last seen at about 4 am on November 1 when armed men dressed in tactical military clothing allegedly forced him to kneel before bundling him into a black Toyota Land Cruiser Prado TX. The family says Abdi's mobile phones have remained switched off since the incident. A missing person report was lodged at Kilimani Police Station.
The family wants the National Intelligence Service, Directorate of Military Intelligence, National Police Service, DCI, and ATPU compelled to account for Abdi. They are also seeking preservation of CCTV recordings, vehicle-tracking information, and mobile network records, as well as independent investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority and Intelligence Service Complaints Board. The application is pending determination.
Key points
- The police allege that Abdi may be part of an extortion network that uses arrests and criminal prosecutions to punish people who refuse to pay money.
- Abdi's family claims he was abducted by armed men and has received threats from security agencies.
- The court heard that Abdi was not being held at ATPU cells or any police station in the country, and investigations are underway to establish his whereabouts.
