South Sudan whistleblower abducted in Kenya released after two months

A South Sudanese whistleblower abducted in Kenya two months ago and transferred to his home country, where he was held at a military facility, has been released, his family said Monday.

Athorbey Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit, 51, who also holds Kenyan citizenship, was living in Nairobi, where he had repeatedly warned that his life was in danger because he was exposing corruption linked to South Sudan’s ruling elite, a representative told AFP in June.

He was abducted at gunpoint by masked men as he left a casino in Nairobi two months ago, according to information his wife received from police.

“We are very happy that Gaddhaffy has been returned to us after being abducted from Kenya and held in detention in Juba for almost two months,” the family said in a statement.

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Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit was released on August 8 after investigations “did not reveal any wrongdoing”, the family said.

“We were never told why he was taken.”

The family said his health had deteriorated while in detention and that he was now receiving treatment in Kenya.

Amnesty had earlier said that Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit was being held at a military facility and called on the Kenyan government to investigate.

AFP has contacted the Kenyan foreign affairs ministry over the case but received no response.

South Sudan is one of the world’s poorest and most corrupt countries.

A United Nations report last year detailed how government officials had stolen billions of dollars in oil money while leaving the population with hardly any essential services.

Amnesty has previously warned that Kenya — long considered a refuge for dissidents in a repressive East African region was increasingly complicit in allowing neighbouring countries to abduct their citizens.

In November 2024, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was kidnapped in Kenya and taken to a military court in Uganda, where he is facing treason charges.

Turkish and Tanzanian dissidents have also been kidnapped on Kenyan soil.