On September 20, 2024, Jamil Longton, Aslam Longton, and activist Bob Njagi emerged from a 30-day nightmare after their abduction.
Their ordeal began on August 19 when men, allegedly police officers, forcibly bundled them into a Subaru car in Kitengela.
This shocking incident sparked widespread outrage and protests across Kenya.
The Abduction
The three men participated in protests against the now-withdrawn Finance Bill 2024 when kidnappers seized them.
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Witnesses reported seeing armed men abducting Jamil, Aslam, and Njagi just meters from their home. Razak stated,
They took my brothers right in front of us. We begged them to stop, but they didn’t listen
Razak
Torture and Starvation
After their release, Abdi Razak, brother of Jamil and Aslam, detailed the horrific treatment they endured during captivity.
He claimed that from the second day, the brothers faced severe torture and starvation.
From the second day, they were severely tortured and beaten while being questioned about the protests
Razak
He added that they were served food only once a day and limited to just 300ml of water. To compound their ordeal, Razak revealed that the captors denied them the right to worship and allowed them to use washrooms only once a week.
Release and Aftermath
When Jamil and Aslam finally regained their freedom on September 20, their captors dropped them near Bishop Gate in Gachie. Razak recounted their release:
They handed back their phones and gave them KSh 300 for bus fare while blindfolded
Razak
Meanwhile, Njagi surfaced in Thogoto on the same day.
Their release coincided with Douglas Kanja’s swearing-in as the new Inspector General of Police. This timing raised serious questions about police involvement in their abduction.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, condemned law enforcement’s actions. Amnesty stated,
We demand accountability for these human rights violations
Amnesty International
Legal Repercussions
The abduction led to significant legal consequences for former acting Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli.
The High Court summoned him multiple times regarding the Kitengela Three’s case, but he defied orders. As a result, he received a six-month jail sentence for contempt.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) actively advocated for the trio’s release by filing petitions demanding that police produce them. Despite these efforts, police officials denied any involvement in the abductions.
