Missing foreigners abducted, police now tell court

By Moses Michira

Two foreigners supposed to be produced in court Thursday may have been abducted by conmen, police and custom officials have said.

Officers said the foreigners had never been detained or arrested as alleged by their lawyer Gisore Matwere, who had sought their unconditional release after they disappeared at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Police have denied knowledge of the whereabouts of Belgian Derick Van Den Berghe and Susan Lee, a Hong Kong national, who were staying at the Tribe Hotel in Nairobi but went missing on May 11.

Custom officials have also refuted claims that they detained baggage belonging to Susan, a United Nations employee, which her lawyers claim contained clothes and Sh43 million in US currency.

Paul Mukoma, the OCPD at the airport police station says there were no records indicating that either his officers or those from the narcotics or customs department had arrested two foreigners.

“It is possible that the two were abducted but we do not have any records of the two at this station,” said Mr Mukoma alluding to the possibility that the foreigners could have been abducted.