Whistleblower Athorbey Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit has been released after nearly two months in detention in South Sudan, following his reported abduction in Kenya and transfer to Juba.
South Sudanese whistleblower Athorbey Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit has been released after nearly two months in detention in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, following his reported abduction in Kenya.
Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit, who also holds Kenyan citizenship, was released on August 8, 2026, and has since returned to Nairobi, according to his family. He is receiving medical treatment after his health reportedly deteriorated during his detention.
His family said they were relieved to have him back but questioned why he had been detained for so long without being informed of the reason.
The family also said investigations carried out while he was in detention did not establish any wrongdoing.
Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit was reportedly abducted in Nairobi in June by armed, masked men after leaving a casino on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital.
A police report filed by his wife indicated that witnesses saw him being taken away in a vehicle. His subsequent transfer to South Sudan raised concerns among rights groups and his family about his safety and whereabouts.
Amnesty International Kenya had earlier called for authorities to disclose his whereabouts, describing the reported abduction as bearing the hallmarks of an enforced disappearance and warning of serious threats to his safety and fundamental rights.
The 51-year-old businessman and whistleblower had reportedly raised concerns about alleged high-level corruption in South Sudan.
Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi said in June that Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit had told him in April that he had shared information concerning corruption allegations involving South Sudan’s ruling elite.
His family has not disclosed further details about the information he allegedly provided.
South Sudanese authorities have not publicly explained the circumstances surrounding his detention or his release. A government spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The case has drawn attention to concerns over the treatment of South Sudanese activists and critics living outside the country, particularly following reports of abductions, deportations and forced returns from neighbouring Kenya.
With Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit now back in Nairobi and receiving medical care, questions remain over who ordered his transfer to South Sudan, the circumstances of his detention and why he was held for almost two months without his family being given a clear explanation.
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