Raila book author who went missing resurfaces
Controversial author, Newton Ochieng’ Ong’ele aka Babior has resurfaced, five days after the distributor of his book ‘The Raila Conspiracy’ reported that he was missing.
The author was found by police at a house in Parklands where he is suspected to have been hiding since June 27 when he failed to turn up for his book launch which was scheduled to be held at KICC.
On Friday morning, his father, Daslmas Ong’ele, who went to the Daily Nation offices in Kisumu, reported that the writer had called him at 6.30am, and said that he had been arrested, taken to Pangani Police Station, and then transferred to Ruaraka Police Station.
“He told me that he had been abducted by unknown persons, beaten and dumped at an unknown destination,” Mr Ong’ele said.
ARRESTED
He said his son had also disclosed to him how “a good Samaritan picked him up and took him to Guru Nanak Hospital where he was treated and discharged on Thursday.”
“When he called me today (Friday) morning, he said he was arrested by police immediately he arrived at his house in Babadogo from the hospital and taken to Pangani police station where he was detained shortly before being moved to Ruaraka police station,” added Mr Ong’ele.
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Raila book author goes missing mysteriously
He pointed out that his son who called him using a different number from his usual contacts said he would give him more details later.
“If at all he broke the law, I think he should be taken to court and charged instead of being taken round and round,” his father said.
DISAPPEARED
But Nairobi County Police Commander, Japhet Koome said that the writer had just been found, and that the police were waiting for the family so that they can hand him to them.
“He has not been arrested, but he is just with the police and since the family had complained that they did not know where he is, we searched for him and found him. He will be handed over to the family when they come,” Mr Koome said.
Mr Ochieng’ was reported to have disappeared on the day his book was to be launched in an even that was to be presided over by Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga and attended by Kenya School of Law CEO PLO Lumumba, publishing editor Barrack Muluka and University of Nairobi don and political analyst Herman Manyora.
His disappearance was recorded under OB number 18/3/7/17 at Ruaraka Police Station on Monday.
