Police in Homa bay and Kisumu are investigating the motive of a gang that kidnapped a seven-year-old boy.
According to Homa Bay County Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Commander Daniel Wachira, the Asian boy was rescued from a house in Suba South, some 200 kilometres from his parents’ home in Kisumu on Wednesday, after five days in captivity.
Police explained that the boy was snatched from his parents’ home at Kenya Re Estate in Kisumu County last Sunday, and forced into a red car.
A woman has since been arrested in connection with the kidnapping.
Mr Wachira said the boy was found after a tip-off from members of the public.
“We sent a photograph of the child to his parents in Kisumu who confirmed his identity. We rescued him from the kidnappers,” Wachira said.
Yesterday, the minor re-united with his family as police pieced together information that could reveal the motive behind the kidnapping.
Kisumu County Police Commander Benson Maweu said the woman who is the main suspect in the crime is being held at Kondele Police station.
Speaking to The Standard yesterday, the boy's mother alleged that her son could have been a victim of human trafficking.
She said her son was physically weak and needs a lot of counseling due to the psychological trauma he was put through.
“He was psychologically tortured, not given any food except a cup of porridge each day by the kidnappers,” she said.