Abducted Murang'a assistant chief finally released

By STANDARD TEAM

Murang’a: Kenya: A cloud of secrecy greeted the release of an assistant chief who had allegedly been in abductor’s hands since Wednesday last week.

Police said on Monday night the assistant chief was abandoned in Maragua Ridge in the crime prone Murang’a South District.

Ms Pauline Nyambura Mathenge (pictured), the administrator from Solio Squatter Settlement Scheme near Naru Moru, was allegedly abandoned by a motor cycle after 10pm.

It’s suspected the motorcycle had cruised for more than an hour through dusty and rough roads from an unknown location before dropping her off.

RUN-AWAY MOTORCYCLE

The runaway motorcycle had two other passengers on board at the time of dumping the administrator.

County Administration Police Commandant Mr Josphat Kinyua said the administrator was dropped barely 500 metres from the Maragua Ridge administration police post.

A security team escorted the kidnap victim to Murang’a District Hospital for examination before she was discharged to her family shortly after 1am.

Kinyua said the administrator who was dropped off with her hands tied spotted a secondary school student who was heading home from school and asked to be escorted to a nearby homestead or a security post.

“A KCSE candidate from the nearby Maragua Ridge Secondary School was brave and escorted the administrator to the security post for assistance,” said Kinyua. The security team, he said, suspect the lady could have been held hostage in Kirinyaga County and dumped in Murang’a to conceal the gang’s hideout.

Central Region Police boss Larry Kieng could not confirm whether any of the Sh2 million ransom was paid. Her husband Zachary Mathenge said he had spoken to his wife on the phone and she was alive and well.

The 40-year-old mother of two was abducted from her home at around 10pm by a gang of six men. Two people on Monday denied charges of kidnapping the chief.

David Karanja and Charles Wahome appeared before a Nyeri court and were remanded in custody until tomorrow. Meanwhile, Kieni MP Kanini Kega has cautioned families of kidnap victims against paying ransom, so as to discourage criminals from going on with their activities.

The MP warned that raising ransom for the criminals was encouraging them to continue with their crimes. He also called for the strengthening of legislation to ensure kidnaping suspects are not issued with bail.

 

Reporting by Job Weru, Lydia Nyawira and Boniface Gikandi