Benedict Kabiru: Family of Cop Who Disappeared in Haiti after Gang Violence Threatens to Sue Govt
- Benedict Kabiru, a Kenyan police officer on a peacekeeping mission in Haiti, has been missing for over a month, with no official updates on his whereabouts
- Kabiru's brother said the silence from both Kenyan and Haitian authorities has left them emotionally distressed, with his mother, wife, and daughter deeply affected
- The family has given the government 30 days to provide clear information or face legal action, citing conflicting reports and a lack of official communication
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
The family of Benedict Kabiru, a Kenyan police officer who disappeared while on a peacekeeping mission in Haiti, continues to demand answers 37 days after his mysterious disappearance.
Source: Twitter
Kabiru was reported missing in action after a violent clash with a Haitian gang on March 25.
According to a police statement, the officer went missing following an ambush along the Carrefour Paye-Savien main supply route in the Pont-Sonde area of the Artibonite Department.
Why Benedict Kabiru's family wants to sue government
Despite numerous appeals to both Kenyan and Haitian authorities, the family says they have received no concrete updates—only conflicting reports and vague reassurances.
Kabiru’s brother, Philip Kamau, described the emotional toll on their mother and the officer's wife and daughter, with their mum reportedly unable to cope with the uncertainty and media coverage out of distress.
“Today marks 37 days since news broke of my brother’s disappearance. We still have no clarity and feel completely abandoned. His daughter, who passed her KCSE with flying colours, often asks me, ‘How are we going to live without my father?’” said Kabiru’s brother.
His uncle, Daniel Kabiru, also called for transparency, demanding the truth behind the officer's disappearance.
Through their lawyer, the family has issued a 30-day ultimatum to the government to provide a clear report or face legal action.
"We have formally written to the office of the attorney general and we have requested written and unconditional information about Benedict Kabiru. the family is more interested in getting confirmation from Haiti itself," said the family's lawyer, Mbuthi Gathenji.
In the wake of Kabiru's disappearance hitting the news, his heartbroken mother spoke about the emotional toll of online reports claiming her son was dead.
She said disturbing videos circulated on social media, allegedly showing Kabiru being harmed, had only deepened their pain.
The family, she added, depended heavily on Kabiru for support and felt overwhelmed by the misinformation and fear surrounding his disappearance.
Source: Facebook
Meanwhile, the Multinational Security Support mission, consisting of international forces, continues to support Haitian authorities in combating criminal gangs and restoring stability.
When are Kenyan police officers returning to Kenya?
In other news, the first group of Kenyan police officers deployed to Haiti under the MSS mission is expected to return home in June after completing a one-year tour of duty.
According to MSS spokesperson Jack Ombaka, the officers were deployed on June 25, 2024, under a one-year contract.
The mission, led by Commander Godfrey Otunge and sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council, has so far reported two casualties: Samuel Tompoi, who was killed in a gang attack and has been buried, and Kabiru, who remains missing.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
