Kenyan editor found safe after abduction: Employer
Alex Kiprotich was taken from a car near the city of Nakuru on Tuesday night.
Kenyan journalist Alex Kiprotich, an associate editor at Standard Group, was abducted by armed men on Tuesday evening near Nakuru city. The Standard Group confirmed his release the following day, after he was found safe near Masinga Dam, more than 200 km southeast of Nakuru. Dashcam footage showed four masked men emerging from a parked vehicle and Kiprotich screaming in the car.
The abductors reportedly demanded the newspaper's sources but Kiprotich, appearing shaken at a press conference in Nairobi, did not speak. Standard Group CEO Chaacha Mwita stated the abductors demanded the newspaper's sources, and the Committee to Protect Journalists called for an investigation. Police have opened an investigation but accused the newspaper of undermining public confidence in the police.
Human rights groups suspect state security agencies are responsible for the abductions, while the government denies the allegations. The Standard newspaper, critical of President William Ruto's government, has accused it of corruption and police brutality. Ruto has accused The Standard of running "extortionist propaganda headlines."
Mwita noted Kiprotich had escaped an earlier abduction attempt linked to his journalism. Police reported 262 cases of misconduct against officers pending in court, with 42 convictions since a police oversight body was established. Ruto's spokesperson did not comment on the latest incident.
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