The family of missing Baringo businessman Enock Chebon Chelimo has been reunited with their 68-year-old father following his release on Wednesday morning, days after he was allegedly abducted by armed men suspected to be security officers.
The family disclosed that Chelimo was released after they allegedly complied with a demand by a local administrator to raise Sh400,000, which they were reportedly told would be used to purchase a rifle from the black market.
Speaking to journalists at Milimani Law Courts, where they had filed a habeas corpus application seeking orders compelling the State to produce Chelimo in court, the family narrated the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and eventual release.
According to the family, the local administrator allegedly informed them that the money was required to purchase a firearm and facilitate a recovery operation that would pave the way for their father’s release.
They claimed that officers attached to the Special Operations Group (SOG) had accused Chelimo of being in possession of a firearm, prompting the administrator to advise them to raise money to buy a rifle and surrender it to the police. The family said they eventually raised the requested Sh400,000, after which their father was released and safely returned home.
In a video, Chelimo confirmed his return, expressing relief at having made it back home safely after the ordeal.
However, his daughter revealed that despite having no visible physical injuries, her father appeared traumatised and shaken by the experience. She said the family wanted him to undergo comprehensive medical and psychiatric assessments to establish his physical and psychological condition following the alleged abduction.
Lawyers Danstan Omari, Stanley Kinyanjui, Shadrack Wambui and Martina Swigga welcomed Chelimo’s release, thanking the court for its swift intervention through the habeas corpus proceedings.
The legal team, however, maintained that the circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction and the events leading to his release raised serious questions that required answers.
The lawyers said the family would pursue investigations into the alleged purchase of the rifle, including establishing who facilitated the transaction, where the firearm was obtained and how it was subsequently used in the purported recovery operation.
They insisted that Chelimo’s release should not mark the end of the matter, arguing that those responsible for his disappearance and the alleged circumstances surrounding his release must be held accountable.
The family is now seeking answers over the events that led to their father’s disappearance, the alleged demand for money and the circumstances under which he was eventually released.
