Billy Mwangi whipped and beaten during abduction Ordeal

Whipped, beaten and kept in solitary confinement in a dark room and only limited to a single meal per day. That was the horrific ordeal of Billy Mwangi, a 24-year-old man who was abducted by suspected State agents.

From a distance, it was easy to read the bittersweet feeling that engulfed the family as they reunited with their loved one.

On one hand the excitement and painful relief is written in the faces of his parents. On the flip side, a cold wave of fear is evident in the eyes of his parents and in his own eyes.

So shaken was the family that some of them could barely utter a word. 

Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji who has been vocal about Mwangi's release claimed he was subjected to inhumane treatment.

READ: Police deny responsibility for abductions, promise continued investigations

Mukunji, who visited Mwangi at Frevane Hospital on the outskirts of Embu town, described the young man as deeply traumatized after his time in captivity.

"He spent days in a dark place with very little food, clearly meant to intimidate him," Mukunji said. He strongly condemned the ongoing wave of abductions and called on the government to act within the law. "We will not relent in pushing for the government to uphold the rule of law," he emphasized.

Preliminary reports indicate that Mwangi was dropped unconscious at his father’s gate in Majengo Estate early in the morning.

Upon regaining consciousness, he called out to his mother, who opened the gate around 8 a.m.

Mukunji, who expressed his frustration with the government's handling of such cases, noted that no parent should ever have to endure what Mwangi’s family had gone through.

He suggested that the abductions were an attempt to intimidate and silence government critics. However, he stressed that such tactics would not succeed. "I don’t want to politicize this issue, but we are not intimidated. We are stronger and will not allow lawlessness in our country," he said.

The MP also criticized Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi's comments on abductions, accusing him of undermining the public and his close ties with the President.

ALSO READ: Father of abducted Billy Mwangi breaks down in court

"The President should distance himself from people like Sudi, who are pushing him away from the people," Mukunji stated. "These individuals make Kenyans feel hurt by maligning them and turning them against the government."

Mukunji called for the advocated for a law to address abductions and hold government agencies accountable.

"Leaders must listen to the people, as their will is supreme, as enshrined in the 2010 Constitution," he said. "Leadership that intimidates the public will not last."

The family of Billy Mwangi expressed both joy and relief following his safe return, though they choose to keep the details of his ordeal private. Speaking outside the hospital, Mwangi’s father, Gerald Karicha, thanked the public for their support.

"The boy is alright, but I don’t want to speak much. We are grateful to all Kenyans who stood with us in prayer. We were really traumatized, but thank God our son is back. Allow us time with him, and we will provide details later."

Mwangi’s mother, Regina Wairimu, recounted the emotional moment when she saw her son for the first time in 15 days.

She recalled hearing him call her name early in the morning, and when she opened the door, she was overjoyed to find him standing there.

Meanwhile, anti-riot police were strategically positioned throughout Embu town in anticipation of protests organized by lobby groups calling for the release of abducted individuals.

However, the officers observed from a distance as Embu residents, accompanied by Manyatta MP Mukunji, gathered outside Cylet supermarket to celebrate Mwangi's return.