The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has concluded that former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju faked his own abduction – and wasted a significant amount of state resources in the process.
DCI Director Amin Mohamed made the explosive declaration at a press briefing on Monday, March 23, 2026, announcing that forensic evidence and intelligence placed Tuju inside his Karen home throughout the entire period he was supposedly missing.
“Based on solid intelligence and meticulous forensic analysis, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations concludes, without an iota of doubt, that Honourable Raphael Tuju was physically present within his residence throughout the period in question,” Mohamed told journalists.
The Timeline Doesn’t Add Up, Says DCI
Investigators say the sequence of events provided by Tuju and his associates simply does not hold up against the evidence. According to Mohamed, surveillance, forensic tracking, and corroborated intelligence all pointed to the same conclusion – Tuju never left his residence during the alleged abduction window.
“He was at his current residence on the 21st of March 2026, even at the precise time he was allegedly missing,” Mohamed stated.
The DCI boss added that Tuju’s decision to resurface only came after it became clear that investigators were closing in on the truth.
“When confronted with the reality that police were closing in on the truth and that his deception could no longer be sustained, Mr. Tuju chose to resurface,” Mohamed said, adding that the reappearance “confirmed what authorities had already suspected” – that “this was a carefully staged disappearance rather than a genuine case of abduction.”
State Resources Wasted on a “Charade,” Says DCI
Beyond the personal drama, the DCI is treating this as a serious abuse of public institutions. Mohamed condemned the incident not merely as a false report but as a deliberate manipulation campaign.
“The National Police Service views this conduct not merely as an isolated act of falsehood, but as a deliberate attempt to mislead the Kenyan public, misdirect law enforcement resources, and undermine confidence in the institutions tasked with protecting our citizens,” he said.
Specialized personnel, round-the-clock surveillance teams, and advanced forensic analysts were all deployed to investigate a disappearance that authorities now believe never happened. Mohamed suggested that the staging may have been driven by a desire for political sympathy or an attempt to shape the narrative around Tuju’s ongoing legal battles.
“This deliberate conduct appears to be intended to generate unwarranted sympathy and to undermine the integrity of both the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations,” he added.
Tuju Tells a Different Story
Shortly after resurfacing, Tuju addressed the media and flatly denied that the incident was a stunt. He said he had spotted a white Toyota Land Cruiser with no number plates trailing him and made the decision to go into hiding for his own safety, citing a deep mistrust of the police.
His vehicle was discovered abandoned on Miotoni Lane on Sunday morning with the hazard lights still on – a scene that prompted political allies, including Governor James Orengo, to raise alarm about a possible kidnapping.
Tuju’s legal team, led by Kalonzo Musyoka, is standing firmly behind their client. They maintain that the former CS was genuinely terrified of what they describe as an “abduction squad” and argue that the DCI’s aggressive stance amounts to “state-sponsored harassment” connected to his ongoing land dispute.
Arrest and Health Scare at Karen Police Station
Authorities arrested Tuju at the Karen Police Station just hours after he came forward. He now faces potential charges of providing false information to a public officer and causing public alarm – offences the DCI links directly to the misuse of critical law enforcement resources.
The arrest did not go smoothly. Tuju’s lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, alleged that officers handled the former CS forcefully, pushing him into a vehicle in a manner that aggravated a pre-existing back injury. Tuju subsequently experienced severe pain during processing, prompting doctors to be called to the station.
Kalonzo Musyoka and other leaders rushed to Karen Police Station, where they reportedly resisted attempts by detectives to move Tuju to an undisclosed location before he could officially record his statement in the Occurrence Book.
Property Dispute Looms Large in the Background
Investigators are also exploring whether the alleged abduction was a calculated move to stall legal proceedings in a KSh 3.5 billion property dispute involving the Dari Business Park and the East African Development Bank (EADB).
Police have been occupying Tuju’s business premises for over a week as part of that ongoing case, and authorities suspect the staged disappearance may have been intended to divert attention or buy time in that battle.
