Two employees of Kenya Airways (KQ) have been detained by the Military Intelligence Unit in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The pair was arrested at KQ’s office at the Kinshasa airport.
According to a statement from KQ, they were apprehended on April 19, 2024, and have since been held without access to their phones.
The arrests were reportedly related to missing customs documentation for valuable cargo intended for transport on a KQ flight on April 12, 2024. However, Kenya Airways asserts that the cargo was never loaded or accepted by the airline due to incomplete documentation.
Despite efforts from the Kenyan embassy and KQ representatives, including a brief visit on April 23, the employees remain in custody. KQ has taken legal action by filing an application for their unconditional release in the DRC’s military court. The court granted KQ’s request, but the two employees are still being held by DRC authorities incommunicado.
“We are perturbed by this action targeting innocent staff and consider it harassment targeting Kenya Airways’ business. KQ continues to cooperate with the investigating agencies and is working with the relevant government entities in both the DRC and Kenya to ensure this matter is resolved,” the statement signed by KQ CEO Allan Kilavuka says.
