A boda boda rider is in police custody after allegedly faking his own kidnap to swindle Ksh 100,000 from his wife.
Confirming the incident, County Criminal Investigations Officer (CCIO) John Onyango noted that the man had told his wife that his hands and legs had been tied.
A report by The Standard on Sunday, July 4, indicated that the rider from Kabusenduk village in Bureti, Kericho County was arrested while hiding at a friend's house.
"The suspect's wife nonetheless reported to the police that her husband had called her to inform her that he had allegedly been kidnapped and the kidnappers were demanding Ksh 100,000 to secure his release.
"Immediately, police officers launched investigations and located the suspect motorcycle which was found abandoned at Kebeneti dispensary," The CCIO told The Standard.
Cases of kidnaps involving close relatives and friends have been on the rise lately as the economy dipped due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown and curfew effects.
On Sunday, June 27, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) sleuths arrested two suspects behind the kidnapping of Hafsa Lukman, a businesswoman based in Eastleigh.
The two suspects, Hafsa Abdulwahab and Jackson Njogu, were nabbed at Crystal view lodge in Kinangop. Hafsa was unmasked as a friend to the victim.
Reports of Lukman came to light after a video emerging of her pleading with her family to pay the Ksh5 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers surfaced.
The businesswoman was seen tied up and blindfolded, with bruises on her face. This led to investigations whereby Lukman's family shared all the information from the kidnappers to the detectives.
This led to the freezing of Lukman's accounts which led to the kidnappers fleeing the Kayole house - fearing that they would soon be nabbed by police.
Cases of kidnapping have also been on the rise with targeted individuals being children.
