Police Confirms Death of Officer Missing in Haiti

The National Police Service (NPS) has confirmed the death of a Kenyan police officer who went missing in Haiti while serving under the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM).

In a statement issued on Thursday, the NPS said Benedict Kabiru went missing on 25th March 2025 during an ambush along the Carrefour Paye-Savien main supply route in the Pont-Sondé area of the Artibonite Department.

He was later declared dead after days of search and rescue efforts.

“The officer had been reported missing while on duty… following an ambush on the Carrefour Paye-Savien main supply route. In a tragic turn of events, the National Police Service received information regarding the death of the missing police officer, and the family has been notified,” the statement read.

The police service said the officer’s family was promptly informed and kept updated throughout the search operation conducted jointly by MSSM and the Haitian National Police (HNP).

NPS extended its condolences to the family, colleagues, and friends of the fallen officer, assuring them of “unwavering and continued support during this time of profound sorrow.”

Meanwhile, the MSSM and HNP continue to coordinate on the ground and are expected to provide further updates on the incident as investigations progress.

The NPS also noted that the body of Corporal Kennedy Mutuku Nzuve, another Kenyan officer who died in a road accident on 1st September 2025, is scheduled to arrive in Nairobi on 26th September.

“The NPS remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Kenyans, residents, visitors, and their property,” said Muchangi Nyaga, Director of Corporate Communication and Spokesperson for the NPS.

Reports of Kabiru’s death first surfaced in March, but police at the time dismissed them, stating that he was only missing.

Kabiru’s uncle and family spokesman, Daniel Kabiru, said eight senior officers visited their home around 8 pm to relay the news.

The family had sought clarity in court a day earlier, filing a petition alleging that information about Kabiru’s death had been withheld.

During the court session, the Attorney General’s office said it had not been informed of the officer’s death.

This stood in contrast to remarks made by President William Ruto on September 22 at a United Nations Council meeting, where he named Kabiru among three Kenyan officers killed while serving in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.

The family referenced the President’s statement, which read in part: “I must use this occasion to honour the Kenyan officers, Samuel Kitwai, Benedict Kabiru, and Kennedy Nzuve who lost their lives in the line of duty.”

“If the President’s statement is accurate, then it effectively disposes of the request for information since confirmation has already been made at the highest level,” the family’s legal counsel told the court.

Following the visit from NPS officials, the family confirmed the President’s remarks to be true.