Hussein Khalid decries police refusal to record Mwabili Mwagodi’s torture complaint in Mombasa
By Ascah Mwango, August 2, 2025Vocal Africa CEO and human rights advocate Hussein Khalid has raised alarm over the conduct of police officers at Central Police Station in Mombasa, accusing them of frustrating efforts to report a torture complaint filed by activist Mwabili Mwagodi.
In a statement shared via his X account on Saturday, August 2, 2025, Khalid said Mwagodi, who was recently handed over to Kenyan authorities, endured torture and had several personal items confiscated, including his passport, mobile phones, a laptop, and other electronic gadgets.
“Our team @VOCALAfrica_ together with @MUHURIkenya and @HakiAfrica today escorted @mwabilimwagodi and his family to report his incident with the @NPSOfficial_KE at Central Police Station, Mombasa. Besides the torture, Mwabili also saw the confiscation of his passport, phones, laptop and other gadgets by the Kenyan authorities when he was handed over back to Kenya,” he said.
Vocal Africa, in collaboration with other human rights groups, accompanied Mwagodi and his family to Central Police Station to formally report the incident. However, officers at the station reportedly refused to record the complaint.
Instead, the police directed Mwagodi to file the report at Diani Police Station in Kwale County, arguing that it was the location of his first point of contact with Kenyan authorities after his return to the country.
Khalid has criticised this stance, saying it contradicts the basic principles of policing, which allow any Kenyan to complain to any police station regardless of where the incident occurred. He emphasised that it is the responsibility of the receiving officers to take the report and then forward it to the appropriate jurisdiction for further action.
Despite the resistance at Central Police Station, the human rights teams accompanying Mwagodi have proceeded to Diani in a bid to ensure the matter is formally documented and justice is pursued.
“Police at Central Police Station have wrongfully refused to record his complaint, arguing he should report the same at Diani Police Station,” Khalid stated.
Adding;
“As @VOCALAfrica_, we want to tell the police that a Kenyan can report a matter at any police station. Once reported, the police should then escalate the matter to the relevant police station. However, in order not to give @NPSOfficial_KE an excuse, our teams are proceeding with @mwabilimwagodi and his family to Diani.”
Mwagodi’s disappearance
This comes just days after Mwabili was found dumped in a bush in Kinondo area near Diani, Kwale County, after reportedly being abducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Mwabili, a hotelier based in Kigamboni and known critic of the Kenya Kwanza administration, went missing on a week ago while on his way to the hotel. His family said he had been under surveillance for his role in the Gen Z protests held in June 2024.
On Sunday morning, he was found weak and disoriented after walking for nearly three kilometres before reaching out to his family, who contacted Vocal Africa.
Khalid said Mwabili had presented himself at a local police station in Diani but was met with threats of detention.
“He was released on the intervention of human rights officers. Presently, Mwabili has been rushed to Pandya Hospital, Mombasa, for a quick medical check-up, after which he will be put on a flight to Nairobi to reunite with his family,” Khalid said.