Sixteen people were either executed by police or disappeared in counterterrorism operations at the Coast last year, a report by a local rights group shows.
Out of the 16 cases, Haki Africa lists 11 as extrajudicial killings while four were enforced disappearances. One person disappeared but was later found.
“Although there are many other cases that Haki Africa got to hear, they are not included in the report because their authenticity or veracity could not be confirmed,” the 2017 review report says.
Coast regional police commander Larry King said he had not seen the report.
King said those killed in the operation were armed and wanted criminals.
Among those listed in the report include Lamu-based Fareed Omar Awal – a wanted terror suspect- and Fatma Mohamed. Their acid-doused bodies were found in Naivasha on April 16, 2017. They had been missing for about a month. The bodies had strangulation marks.
The report said Mohamed Ibrahim Shee, Babu Mustafa Sheti, Juma Abdalla Musa were shot dead by police on May 17, 2017.
“Two other bodies were also lying at the Coast General Hospital after being shot by police. The families cried foul, alleging their loved ones were first arrested before being executed,” the report says.
On February 26, Mohamed Juma Mwamuraji was killed in Kwale by officers from both the anti-terror unit and the Flying Squad, the report says.
Mwamuraji had been listed by police as wanted for involvement in terror activities. Police said he had just returned from Somalia when he was killed.
On June 24, Barsheba resident Faraj Rashid Tewa was abducted at his work place by unidentified people in a Probox and Prado. He was later released but disappeared after being called to go and pick his phone that had been retained. His whereabout is not known to date, the report says.
Bwanaheri Avukeme Harun, Popo Nassir Hamza, Abubakar Abdulkadir-Shebe have also disappeared without trace.
Bwanaheri was picked by police officers outside the Muhuri office in Malindi on August 22.
Shebe, a Malindi-based businessman, was picked by people who introduced themselves as police officers, as he returned from a mosque after prayers on November 17.
On December 1, Likoni vendor Mohamed Zingizi was picked by unidentified people. He was later released after Haki Africa together with Coast MPs followed up his case.
“He reported that he had been arrested by police officers who thought he knew the whereabouts of a terror suspect named ‘Kassim’. This case confirmed that these type of abductions are actually carried out by police officers,” the report says.
Ali Khamis Mtsomo alias Khalid, Hussein Said Omar, Mohamed Juma Kahanda were also killed last year. Mtsomo was shot by anti-terror police unit in Likoni on December 8 on the allegation he was an Al Shabaab recruiter, Omar killed in Bamburi on August 18 for being behind Mpeketoni attack.
On another hand, Kahanda was picked by unknown persons suspected to be police in Changamwe on September 17 a few days later his body was found at Wundanyi mortuary in Taita Taventa. Police reported that the body had been collected from Ndii area along Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
Source: Shabelle Radio
