Rogue cops arrested for botched kidnapping
Police in Nairobi are holding five of their colleagues and a civilian in custody after a botched attempt to kidnap and extorting a foreigner working in Kenya.
It has been alleged that the police officers, who were arrested on Friday night, kidnapped a Chinese national, who is a Standard Gauge Railway worker, and demanded up to Sh1 million in ransom.
Nairobi police boss, Japheth Koome, while speaking to Nairobi News said the six are being held at a city police station awaiting to be arraigned in court on Monday.
“Once you commit a crime, you are a criminal no matter who you are. The officers were not under my command but they committed the crime in Nairobi and will appear in court on Monday after we have finished the investigations,” Mr Koome said.
According to the police, the officers and a taxi driver arrested the Chinese national at Makongeni in Thika, claiming that he did not have a valid work permit.
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The victim’s family reported the incident at Thika Police Station where a team was dispatched to trail the officers stationed at Railways and Makongeni police stations in Thika.
Police traced the suspects through Jogoo Road to the city centre then to Muthaiga Police Station where they were eventually apprehended.
According to the police once the suspects realised they were being followed, they booked the victim at Muthaiga Police Station for ‘being in Kenya illegally’.
The suspects were, however, arrested as soon as they finished booking the victim.
Mr Koome said the victim who is working on the Standard Gauge Railway project is back with his family and was unhurt during the ordeal.
