Daystar, JKUAT Students Kidnapped By Cops, Demand Ksh100K Bribe

Three police officers attached to the National Police Service (NPS)-K9 unit headquarters within Lang'ata Sub-county were arrested on Tuesday, February 7 after they abducted two university students and demanded a Ksh100,000 bribe each.

According to a police report seen by Viral Tea, the three officers; Victor Khisa, John Odhiambo and Timothy Otieno accosted the students from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and from Daystar University while they were at Magharib building near T-Mall along Lang'ata Road where they were having lunch.

The officers in civilian clothing surrounded them at the entrance and upon introducing themselves, they informed the students that they were being arrested in possession of bhang.

"One of them was placed in motor vehicle reg. KCT 826Q Toyota Vitz white in colour. The other one was placed in a waiting car reg. number KBP 370G Toyota Premio silver in colour which had three occupants one dressed in full jungle uniforms and the other two in civilian clothes.

"The two were held in the said vehicles for more than four hours. They were forced to call their parents and send cash Ksh100,000 each in order to secure their release or be taken into custody," read the police report in part.

One of the students was driven to a mobile money shop and ordered to withdraw Ksh10,000 he had received from his father in addition to Ksh10,000 he already had before he was released.

The other called his mother who worked at the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) who rushed to T-Mall and met her son being bundled into the white Vitz while being asked to raise Ksh100,000 to secure her son's release.

"She was also forced to enter the car in order for them to negotiate, but she refused. She told them to wait for her as she withdrew the cash at T-Mall.

"At T-Mall, she met police officers from Nyayo police post who were on patrol and reported the incident. The officers rushed to where the two motor vehicles were parked and managed to arrest two suspects who were in the motor vehicle," the report added, noting that the student was rescued.

The four other occupants who were in the vehicle managed to escape upon seeing the police officers, with one of the students complaining of having been assaulted by the suspects.

The officers were detained at Lang'ata police station and were arraigned before Kibera magistrate Jacqueline Ojwang Muthoni who ordered their detention for seven days, until Wednesday, February 15.

A Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) smoke jacket, a reflector jacket and a radio set gadget which were recovered from the suspects were kept in safe custody. One of the vehicles used in the abduction was impounded at the station.

Efforts to arrest the other three known officers were in progress as police termed the incident isolated and promised severe action against the accused.

A man in handcuffs. /NAIROBI NEWS