Father breaks into tears as he narrates how son was abducted

Gerald Mwangi, t father of Billy Mwangi 24 years, breaks dowm in court wanting to know his where about after he was abducted by unknown people. [Collins Kweyu]

The world, on Tuesday midnight, moved to 2025.

However, the tears of Billy Mwangi’s father, Gerald Karicha, still linger as the whereabouts of his 24-year-old son abducted a few days before Christmas remains unknown 10 days later.

“Your honour, mtoto wangu alichukuliwa kwa kinyozi (My son was taken from a barber’s shop),” Mr Karicha narrated at Milimani Law Courts in Narobi on Tuesday.

He broke down several times while explaining to Justice Bahati Mwamuye what transpired on December 21 at around 3pm while Mwangi was waiting for a shave.

According to the distraught father, Mwangi’s abductors had trailed the boy for days before zeroing on him.

The getaway car was a double cab car while the vehicle on the trail was a white Toyota Fielder, whose displayed registration number was KDG 527D.

“Your honour, that car had surveyed my home neighbourhood for three days. The other car was a double cabin pick-up which was behind that Toyota Fielder car,” he narrated amid sobs.

Karicha said the Fielder was leading the double cabin, but it sped off upon reaching where Mwangi was. He said four “well-built” men alighted the second car and whisked his son away.

“When they came to where Mwangi was, the Fielder car was ahead. The Fielder car immediately left but four guys, very strong guys from the double cabin car, popped out, went and mishandled by son and threw him inside it. And he asked them, who are you, where are you taking me, wakasema utajulia mbele (you will know later),” narrated Karicha.

He said that the son’s phone was immediately switched off, a tactic the abductors knew would make it impossible to triangulate the signal while tracing his whereabouts.

“ I have no idea where my son is and I read these orders that he would be produced in court today. I was coming for him and I have come from Embu. My wife has collapsed, she has collapsed so many times,” he said before emotions overcame him.

“ Who took my son and where is my son? When I look around the court I cannot see my son, I thought he is here, seriously! We have taken a lot of medicine for blood pressure, and a certain point it does not come down. I was praying to God when I am coming on the way. It is true I have arrived but I cannot see my son. I only see people who look like my son but he is not here. Where is my son your honour?” he posed.

Mwangi has been missing alongside Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Gideon Kibet Bull and his brother Ronny Kiplagat, and Steve Kavingo.

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Vice President Mwaura Kabata told the court that the lawyers lobby would formally file to have Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja cited for contempt for failing to personally appear before court and presenting the abductees.

“If the court will take the number of days the second petitioner to the seventh have been abducted, we would say that is about nine days. The uniqueness of this is that tomorrow, if we will be present here, it will be right to say they were abducted last year. As we close the day before the new year and having listened to the plight of Mwangi, we will be filing an application for contempt against the 9th respondent in person,” said Kabata.

He added that LSK would also train its guns on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, National Intelligence Service, and Interior Cabinet Secretary for failing to comply with the court orders.

However, Kabata said that they had changed their minds after Justice Mwamuye committed to cracking the whip if the court’s orders for their release were not complied with.

The IG had sent Benson Kasyoki to represent him. But Mwamuye said the orders were specified to a particular person.