Mombasa, Kenya | By Michael Wandati | Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir expressed his deep dismay on Monday over accusations implicating him and his family in the abduction and sodomy of a blogger Bruce John alias Chawa 001 from the coastal city. The blogger, known for criticizing the county government, claims to have been targeted for his online posts.
According to reports, the 24-year-old was allegedly abducted on September 12 by around 20 county officers from his home in Bamburi. The group reportedly assaulted and sodomised him before abandoning him at a dumpsite.
He stated that his abductors forced him to apologize for his criticisms of the Mombasa County administration.
During a press briefing in Mombasa, Governor Nassir vehemently denied any involvement in the incident. He described the accusations as “shocking” and rejected claims that he or his mother played any role in the horrific attack.
“Throughout my life, neither I nor any of my family members have crossed the line of meting out violence on anyone. Even on public platforms, my policy is never to mention anyone by name, or speaking vulgar language,” the governor said.
Governor Nassir’s statement came shortly after the release of his aide, Mohamed Hussein, the County Executive Committee Member for Lands. Hussein had been arrested on Sunday in connection with the assault on the blogger.
“My CEC was arrested and released for no other reason except for the fact that he has been with me through my political journey,” the governor said.
He claimed his mother’s house had been broken into twice since the incident, adding: “As much as I feel sorry for whatever happened to this young man, the spirit of my family will not only forgive and forget but let the almighty.”
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“I really hope the police get to the bottom of this… I have passed through worse; abuse, attempts to harm me and my family… I have every intention of clearing our name, of ensuring those behind this malignment will equally be brought to book.”
Governor Nassir claimed the blogger had sent him over 800 text messages, none of which he responded to, and that some doctors reported getting calls threatening them and “coercing them into writing things” when the victim was not in the hospital.
Four people have so far been arraigned over the incident.
