Since 21 September, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been monitoring the case of Italian national Mattia Sorbi, who requested consular assistance from the Embassy of Italy in Nairobi after his passport was confiscated by the Kenyan authorities. The passport was seized following the discovery of a woman’s lifeless body at the residence of the fellow countryman.
According to local laws, the passport may only be returned to the national once the investigation has been completed, which includes the performance of a post-mortem examination.
The Embassy of Italy in Nairobi, acting through the relevant consular officer, took immediate action to provide the utmost assistance, maintaining daily contact with the Italian national and also helping him to find a local lawyer.
In consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ambassador of Italy to Kenya has raised the case of the Italian national during several meetings with the local authorities, including at the Ministry of the Interior and at a meeting with the Inspector General of the Kenyan Police, expressing the hope that the post-mortem and the investigations would be completed swiftly so that the passport could be returned to the Italian national.
Yesterday, the Kenyan Court ordered the police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office to take action within two days, setting a deadline of one week for them to submit a formal response.
