Kenya Airways Claims DR Congo's Army Unlawfully Detained Her Employee Despite Court Order

Nairobi, Kenya – Kenya Airways (KQ) has reported that two of its employees are still being detained by the Democratic Republic of Congo's army, despite a military court's order for their release.

The employees were initially arrested last Friday by the DR Congo's military intelligence over allegations of missing custom documentation for a valuable cargo, which the airline asserts was never uplifted to Kinshasa due to incomplete documentation.

The airline has expressed frustration, stating that despite numerous attempts to clarify the situation to the military officers, their explanations were disregarded. The detained staff were only allowed a brief visit by Kenyan embassy officials and a team from the airline last Tuesday.

On Thursday, Kenya Airways announced that a military court had granted their request to release the employees while investigations continued. However, the airline stated, "Despite the court orders, the military intelligence unit is still holding them incommunicado, yet these are civilians being held in a military intelligence facility."

Furthermore, the employees' phones were seized at the time of arrest, adding to the airline's concerns over their treatment and the legality of their detention.

Details about the nature of the cargo involved remain unclear, and authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have not yet made any public comments regarding the incident.

The ongoing detention has raised significant diplomatic and legal questions, highlighting the complex interplay between national security and individual rights in such disputes.