A family in Butere Sub-County, Kakamega County, is in distress following the mysterious disappearance of their loved one, who was allegedly abducted by unidentified armed individuals in early December last year.
According to his wives, Beatrice Namatsi and Christine Amakobe, Stephen Amunze was taken on December 9 by unknown individuals who identified themselves as police officers.
“We watched helplessly as they took him away. They told us he was needed for questioning, but they never said where they were taking him. Since that day, we have never seen or heard from him,” said Namatsi.
The family immediately reported the matter to Butere Police Station but claims they have been unable to obtain an Occurrence Book (OB) number, making it difficult to follow up on the case.
“Every time we visit the police station; they tell us to wait. How can we wait when we do not know if he is alive or dead?” questioned Amakobe.
Amunze, a small-scale farmer and businessman, was the family’s sole breadwinner. His disappearance has left his wives and children struggling to make ends meet.
“Our children have been out of school because we cannot afford school fees. Life has become unbearable without him,” lamented Amakobe.
With the rising cases of abductions in Kenya, the family fears the worst.
“If he did something wrong, why not take him to court? Why make him disappear without a trace?” asked Namatsi.
The family is now appealing to the government and human rights organizations to intervene and help trace their missing loved one.
When contacted, Butere OCPD Justus Njeru acknowledged that several cases had been processed in recent months, with suspects taken to court.
“We have handled multiple cases related to stolen cattle from Bungoma County, Bumula Sub-County, Siaya, and Kabula. Suspects have been prosecuted accordingly,” said Njeru.
However, he did not confirm whether Amunze was in police custody, further deepening the family’s uncertainty.
As the days go by, Amunze’s family remains hopeful that authorities will act swiftly to locate him and bring those responsible for his disappearance to justice.
