A 23-year-old Kenyan medical student, Edwin Kamau, has been arrested by the police in the capital Nairobi, for allegedly faking his own kidnap to demand for ransom payment from his parents.
The Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in a statement on Friday, said Kamau “disappeared last Sunday before he called his father and called his mother claiming to have been kidnapped.”
“He told his mother that his kidnappers wanted a ransom of Sh70,000, to set him free before he hanged up on her,” the DCI stated.
Despite his warning that the parents should not involve the police or he would be killed, his father reported the ‘kidnap’ to the police who embarked on an investigative and launched a manhunt for the fathom kidnappers.
“His distraught parents reported the matter to police officers who immediately launched a manhunt for the kidnappers. However, the calls persisted with Kamau telling his mother that his kidnappers were on the verge of eliminating him,” the DCI said.
“Determined to secure the life of their son, the parents initially sent Sh10,000 via mobile money and an additional Sh40,000.
“Immediately Kamau received the initial Sh10,000, he went to a club in Thika to irrigate his throat and make merry in the company of a woman he had met,” the police said.
However, the bubble was burst when the woman drugged his drink and stole the cash after they had retired to room in the hotel.
After regaining consciousness the following morning, the suspect again called his parents and requested for another Sh40,000 which they sent to another account which he withdrew but unknown to him, the detectives were on the trail and he was promptly arrested.
“Upon questioning, Kamau said that he had squandered money meant for his last semester’s school fees and was wondering how he would raise money in order to sit for his exams, hence the fake story,” the DCI said, adding that he will be arraigned in court soon.