IJM Announces Disappearance of Three Individuals Following June 23rd Court Hearing
Washington, DC; Nairobi, Kenya, June 28, 2016
International Justice Mission (IJM) today announced that three individuals, including one staff member and one client, were abducted in Nairobi following a court hearing on June 23rd.
"We are heartbroken by this horrific crime and are doing everything we can to locate these men and support the families of the victims,” said attorney Claire Wilkinson, IJM's field office director in Nairobi. "Our organization condemns this crime and remains committed to our mission of protecting the poor from violence and strengthening the justice system. Alongside local officials, we will pursue this case to justice."
IJM is closely collaborating with Kenyan local and national law enforcement officials who are leading the ongoing investigation.
Within hours of learning of the incident, IJM leadership activated crisis response teams in Nairobi as well as Washington, DC, to work closely with police officials on the ground and to support the families involved.
"IJM is grateful to our colleagues on the ground. They were the first responders who immediately worked without concern for their own safety to try to locate these men,” said IJM Vice President of Investigations Mark Clookie, "And we are grateful to the local Kenyan police and the U.S. embassy who responded quickly and directly to our requests for help.”
IJM’s continued priority is to locate the missing men and care for the families affected by this crime.