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Kenya Airways (KQ) is locked in a tense standoff with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s military after two airline employees were arrested and remain in detention despite a court order for their release.
The incident unfolded last Friday when the DR Congo’s military intelligence unit apprehended the KQ staff, accusing them of being linked to “valuable” cargo with missing customs documentation. However, KQ vehemently denies this, stating that their employees never even accepted the goods due to incomplete paperwork.
“The logistic handler was still finalizing the documentation before handing it over to KQ,” clarified Allan Kilavuka, KQ’s CEO, in a statement. “[Our staff] tried to explain to the military officers that KQ had not accepted the cargo, but these efforts were unsuccessful.”
While a brief visit with the detainees was granted on Tuesday by Kenyan embassy officials and KQ representatives, the situation has taken a turn for the worse. According to KQ, a court order secured on Thursday for the employees’ release, with investigations continuing, has been disregarded by the military intelligence unit.
The airline further highlights the concerning detail that the employees’ phones were confiscated during the arrest, leaving them with no way to contact anyone outside.
“Despite the court’s ruling, the military intelligence unit continues to hold them incommunicado. These are civilians being held in a military facility,” stated a frustrated Mr. Kilavuka. “We strongly condemn this action targeting innocent staff and view it as harassment aimed at Kenya Airways’ business.”
The exact nature of the disputed cargo remains unclear, and authorities in the DR Congo have yet to comment on the matter.
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