Standard Group Editor Alex Kiprotich Found Safe After Abduction
Kiprotich was found at about 2am, roughly 10 metres from Masinga Dam, about nine hours after he was reported missing.
According to a statement from the Standard Group, Kiprotich sought refuge at a nearby household before a team from the news organisation located him at about 6.30am.
“He is safe and okay, though visibly shaken by the ordeal,” the organisation said.
Kiprotich told colleagues that four masked men armed with AK-47 rifles abducted him and drove him away in a Subaru bearing registration KDC 125E.
The Standard Group said its checks indicated that the vehicle was a government vehicle. According to Kiprotich, the Subaru was fitted with a siren and his captors appeared to be police officers.
He said the men drove through roadblocks without being stopped, with officers at the checkpoints allegedly engaging with the occupants before allowing the vehicle to proceed.
Kiprotich Questioned About Standard Group Coverage
During his captivity, Kiprotich said his abductors repeatedly questioned him about the Standard Group's journalism operations.
They allegedly asked where the organisation obtained its stories and how headlines were determined. They also questioned him about Gideon Moi, a shareholder in the Standard Group, including whether he received visitors at Kabarak.
Kiprotich said some of the men questioned him about his work while others attempted to reassure him.
According to his account, the men told him not to worry because, in their words, “ni mambo ya serikali” — meaning “it is a government matter”.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
Kiprotich had gone missing shortly before 9.20pm after making a brief telephone call to Tom Kipyegon, the Standard Group's head of security.
“Tom, we have been hijacked! We have been hijacked at Gilgil!” Kiprotich shouted during the call before the line was disconnected.
Second Reported Attempt In Two Months
The latest incident comes just over two months after Kiprotich reportedly escaped another attempted abduction on June 27.
According to the Standard Group, armed men travelling in a Toyota Probox attempted to seize him as he drove to work in Nakuru.
The organisation said its own investigation subsequently traced that vehicle to the National Police Service's Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau. No one has been held accountable over that incident, according to the report.
Standard Group Chief Executive Officer Chaacha Mwita had earlier held the state responsible for Kiprotich's safety and described the latest abduction as a possible attempt to intimidate the organisation over its editorial coverage.
The Standard Group has thanked those who assisted in the search for Kiprotich, including the family that took him in after he was found near Masinga Dam and cared for him before his colleagues arrived.
The organisation said further updates would be issued as more information becomes available.Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich has been found safe after being abducted by armed men along the Gilgil–Nakuru Road on Tuesday night.
Kiprotich was found at about 2am, roughly 10 metres from Masinga Dam, about nine hours after he was reported missing.
According to a statement from the Standard Group, Kiprotich sought refuge at a nearby household before a team from the news organisation located him at about 6.30am.
“He is safe and okay, though visibly shaken by the ordeal,” the organisation said.
Kiprotich told colleagues that four masked men armed with AK-47 rifles abducted him and drove him away in a Subaru bearing registration KDC 125E.
The Standard Group said its checks indicated that the vehicle was a government vehicle. According to Kiprotich, the Subaru was fitted with a siren and his captors appeared to be police officers.
He said the men drove through roadblocks without being stopped, with officers at the checkpoints allegedly engaging with the occupants before allowing the vehicle to proceed.
Kiprotich Questioned About Standard Group Coverage
During his captivity, Kiprotich said his abductors repeatedly questioned him about the Standard Group's journalism operations.
They allegedly asked where the organisation obtained its stories and how headlines were determined. They also questioned him about Gideon Moi, a shareholder in the Standard Group, including whether he received visitors at Kabarak.
Kiprotich said some of the men questioned him about his work while others attempted to reassure him.
According to his account, the men told him not to worry because, in their words, “ni mambo ya serikali” — meaning “it is a government matter”.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
Kiprotich had gone missing shortly before 9.20pm after making a brief telephone call to Tom Kipyegon, the Standard Group's head of security.
“Tom, we have been hijacked! We have been hijacked at Gilgil!” Kiprotich shouted during the call before the line was disconnected.
Second Reported Attempt In Two Months
The latest incident comes just over two months after Kiprotich reportedly escaped another attempted abduction on June 27.
According to the Standard Group, armed men travelling in a Toyota Probox attempted to seize him as he drove to work in Nakuru.
The organisation said its own investigation subsequently traced that vehicle to the National Police Service's Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau. No one has been held accountable over that incident, according to the report.
Standard Group Chief Executive Officer Chaacha Mwita had earlier held the state responsible for Kiprotich's safety and described the latest abduction as a possible attempt to intimidate the organisation over its editorial coverage.
The Standard Group has thanked those who assisted in the search for Kiprotich, including the family that took him in after he was found near Masinga Dam and cared for him before his colleagues arrived.
The organisation said further updates would be issued as more information becomes available.
