Woman arrested for staging kidnapping, demanding Sh30k from parent
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Thursday night arrested a woman who staged her own kidnapping with the hope of defrauding her parents.
Jane Wamuyu, a resident of Satellite in Riruta, received disturbing messages from her daughter’s phone number two days earlier informing her her daughter, Clare Muthoni, had been abducted and her captors were demanding a Sh30,000 ransom to secure her release.
To make the kidnapping look real and serious, a photo of a purportedly shaken Muthoni, with her hands and legs tied was sent to her mother.
“To complete the set, a kitchen knife was also displayed in the photos, sending Muthoni’s mother in a fit of panic,” DCI said in a tweet on Friday morning.
The mother was warned not to contact the police or risk losing her daughter.
“Failure to which, her throat would be slit open,” part of the message read, according to DCI.
A kitchen knife was also displayed in the photos, causing Muthoni’s mother to panic.
Her mother instead filed a report at the Karen Police Station where detectives from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau took over the matter hoping to rescue the “victim”.
Their investigation led them to Misiani village in Kangudo, Machakos County.
“After laying their ambush, anticipating to pounce on the kidnappers, they found out that there were no kidnappers other than Muthoni who was at a local Bar,” DCI added.
Accompanied by a friend identified as Diana Wanjiku, the duo had taken up residence at Website Bar, after escaping from Nyeri County where they both lived.
Detectives uncovered that Muthoni had, according to DCI, hatched the plan to stage her kidnapping, then demand a ransom from her mother, ostensibly to secure her release.
DCI said Muthoni and Diana, who took the photos, are in police cells awaiting arraignment.