Tuju saga takes new twist as DCI dismisses abduction claims
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has dismissed claims that former Cabinet minister Raphael Tuju was abducted, saying investigations established he never left his home in Karen during the period he was reported missing.
DCI Director Mohamed Amin said intelligence and forensic analysis showed Tuju was at his residence the entire time, contradicting earlier reports by his family that he had disappeared under unclear circumstances.
“Crucially, and based on intelligence, the DCI conclusively and without an iota of doubt established that Raphael Tuju was physically present within his residence throughout the period in question,” Amin said.
According to investigators, Tuju’s phone was switched off at exactly 6:18pm on March 21 while he was still at his Karen home, raising further doubts about the alleged disappearance.
The incident had initially sparked concern after Tuju’s family reported that he and his driver had gone missing while en route to a scheduled radio interview. His vehicle was later found abandoned along a road in Karen, fuelling fears of a possible abduction.
However, Amin said the claims triggered a swift multi-agency response involving uniformed officers and plainclothes detectives. Police attempted to access the residence but were initially denied entry by family members, prompting authorities to secure the property as they sought a court-issued search warrant.
“The homestead was fully cordoned off while investigators pursued a search warrant from the court,” Amin said, adding that the operation was conducted in line with legal procedures.
He later termed the incident a “carefully staged disappearance rather than a genuine case of abduction,” accusing Tuju of deliberately misleading the public and security agencies.
“When confronted with the evidence, it became apparent that this was a carefully staged disappearance… He subsequently resurfaced when the narrative could no longer be sustained,” Amin added.
Authorities warned that such incidents place unnecessary strain on security resources and create public panic. Amin emphasised that providing false information to law enforcement is a serious offence with potential legal consequences.
Tuju was later arrested shortly after resurfacing, with the DCI saying the move was informed by findings that the reported disappearance was false and had significant security implications.
The former CS said that he went into hiding after realizing that suspicious persons were trailing him on Saturday.
He said he informed police that he was being trailed by a land cruiser that did not have a plate number and later escaped.
“I branched into Nandi Road; they were not able to branch in … it meant that they had to turn or go round to follow me. That is how I lost them,” he said.
He would later abandon his vehicle along Miotoni Lane in Karen and go into hiding.
