Deputy OCS, three officers arrested over alleged kidnapping

Deputy OCS, three officers arrested over alleged kidnapping. [File, Standard]

A Deputy Officer Commanding Station (OCS) attached to Drive In Police Station in Nairobi North Sub-county and three other police officers have been arrested in connection with an alleged kidnapping with intent to commit a felony.

The officers are suspected of abducting a couple in Babadogo and demanding a Sh1 million ransom.

According to a police report seen by The Standard, the complainants, Kanuti Konrid and Beatrice Naliaka Njoroge, who run an online business, had travelled to Babadogo to deliver a watch to a client who had placed an order.

Upon arrival, they were allegedly confronted by three men who forced them into a waiting vehicle, where two other men were seated.

"The complainant was handcuffed and the vehicle sped off towards Thika Road. They were taken to Shell Roasters along Thika Road, where they were forced to withdraw money," the police report reads.

The report states that the complainants managed to withdraw Sh17,000, but the suspects rejected the amount and allegedly demanded Sh1 million instead.

The suspects then drove to Equity Bank in Githurai, where they allegedly ordered the complainants to withdraw the money. The wife was held hostage inside the vehicle while the husband was allowed to enter the bank.

Once inside, the husband alerted a bank teller, who informed police officers guarding the premises. The officers raised an alarm, attracting other patrol officers to the scene.

"Upon seeing the officers approaching, three suspects fled on foot while the driver sped away with the female victim. The officers fired warning shots into the air and managed to corner and arrest one suspect, Stephen Okello."

Okello was escorted to Kasarani Police Station, where he allegedly told investigators that they were five suspects using his Toyota Axio during the operation.

Police say further investigations led to the arrest of the Deputy OCS attached to Drive Inn Police Station, Kelvin Mwangi, alongside Oliver Baraza, Job Sidiga and Cyrus Onyango.

Police recovered five mobile phones valued at Sh120,000 and an Apple smartwatch valued at Sh2,500.