By Correspondent
A Mombasa-based blogger, who recently made headlines after being gang-raped by senior officials from the Mombasa County Government, claims his life is in grave danger after being abruptly removed from the Witness Protection Agency (WPA) programme.
The victim, who has been living in hiding for the last nine months, has narrated how he was secretly ferried from Embu County by WPA officers, only to be handed over to his father upon arrival in Mombasa.
According to him, this sudden move was a breach of earlier assurances that he would be relocated to Kilifi County, where the agency had initially promised to transfer him due to safety concerns.
“I was shocked when instead of being taken to Kilifi as promised, they simply abandoned me in Mombasa. They told my father to take me home, and from that moment, I knew I was no longer safe,” he told reporters.
The blogger says that ever since his removal from protective custody, his family has been receiving threatening phone calls from unknown individuals demanding to know his whereabouts. He believes these threats are linked to powerful individuals who want him to abandon his case.
His ordeal dates back to September 12, when he was allegedly gang-raped by three men believed to have been working closely with senior county officials.
During the investigations, Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir was among the high-profile individuals in Mombasa who recorded statements.
Governor Nassir told journalists after he left the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices that no one is above the law and he is ready to present his mother if she is summoned; all he wants is for the blogger to get justice.
He urged the DCI detectives to hasten the probe and get to the bottom of the case. He encouraged people with information relating to the case to avail it to the authorities. The Governor said he is ready to present his mother if she is summoned.
“I have said it before and I have done it at my earliest possible time. I went to the DCI, and I have recorded my statement. The best we can all do is for anyone who has any form of information to just go. It is the only way that this young man can get justice,” he stated.
“There is no normal human being who will say that whatever happened is the right thing. Of course, I condemned it but at the same time, we need to be able now to talk about justice for this young man,” he added.
The Governor, who had been adversely mentioned in the case, said he had provided the DCI with the information that may assist in the ongoing investigations.
He condemned the heinous act that was meted out to the 25-year-old blogger. “These are things that we don’t want to see not just in Mombasa but anywhere in this country. These are things that shouldn’t be seen,” he said.
While in protective custody in Embu, the blogger also survived what he describes as an attempt on his life after he suddenly fell ill.
“I became violently sick after having dinner with agency officials at a local hotel in Embu. Doctors later confirmed it was food poisoning. To date, I do not know whether it was accidental or deliberate, but it left me shaken,” he recounts.
Adding to his fears, the blogger revealed that unknown individuals, suspected to be working at the behest of the county administration, have been visiting his father’s home in Mombasa. On several occasions, they allegedly tried to persuade his family to convince him to withdraw the case.
“They approached my father directly and even offered money if I agreed to drop the matter. It is clear they are desperate to silence me,” he claimed.
The blogger is a key prosecution witness in a high-profile case set to be heard on September 25.
Five suspects — Abdul Hassan, Hajji Babu, Esther Muthoni alias Totoos, Violet Adera alias Vyao, and Ali Mohammed alias Nyanya — are facing multiple charges, including gang rape, abduction with intent to confine, conspiracy to commit a felony, and assault causing grievous harm.
The case has already attracted national attention due to the seriousness of the allegations and the involvement of county officials. Human rights activists have called on the government to reinstate the blogger into the Witness Protection Programme, warning that his testimony could be compromised if his security is not guaranteed.
The blogger insists he will not be intimidated and that he is determined to testify despite the mounting pressure.
“I know they want to silence me, but I will speak the truth in court. My only fear is that they might succeed in harming me before then,” he said.
The offences are alleged to have been committed in Mombasa last year, and the outcome of the case is expected to set a significant precedent on how cases involving influential government officials are handled.
