The mysterious abduction of city lawyer Njau Kayai in 2021 has resurfaced in public discourse, with prominent lawyer-cum-activist Morara Kebaso calling out the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) for what he termed a lack of progress in resolving the case.
Morara expressed his frustrations with LSK over Njau’s case in a post on social media on Friday, January 3, 2025.
“It is now 4 years since wakili Njau Kayai was abducted. To this day he has never been found. I hope this does not happen to the Gen Zs who were abducted. @FaithOdhiambo8 @LawSocietyofKe. What happened to this case? This is a member of the bar,” Morara wrote on his X account.
The disappearance
Njau was abducted on February 7, 2021, along Muhoho Avenue in South C, Nairobi, around 5:30 pm.
CCTV footage captured his hired car being intercepted by two vehicles. He was forcibly removed and frog-marched into a waiting car.
Despite investigations, no arrests were made and the whereabouts of the lawyer remain unknown.
Controversial past
The abduction occurred two years after a high-profile legal dispute involving Njau.
In 2019, a court ordered him to return Ksh20 million he was accused of stealing from a client, Stephen Muchina.
The case revolved around Njau, acting as Muchina’s lawyer, misappropriating funds meant to pay Geoffrey Gitau for the sale of a plot in Ruiru municipality.
Despite a court order, Njau failed to repay the money, instead requesting more time to settle the matter out of court.
The lawyer’s family later claimed the matter had been resolved, but questions linger about whether his disappearance is connected to the case.
Renewed concerns
Morara Kebaso’s remarks come amid rising concern over the safety of legal practitioners in Kenya and a spate of disappearances, particularly those involving young people.
LSK president Faith Odhiambo has yet to respond publicly to concerns raised by Morara.
Meanwhile, Njau Kayai’s family has spent close to four years now in anguish, oscillating between hope and despair.
They have repeatedly urged authorities to provide answers but have received little more than reassurances.
