DCI Arrests Man Who Abducted Himself & Demanded Ksh100K After Losing Bet

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Friday, December 13, rescued a 25-year-old man who had allegedly kidnapped himself in Kitengela, Kajiado County.

DCI in a statement revealed that the man had also inflicted cuts on his body after losing all his November salary to betting.

The man thereafter demanded a Ksh100,000 ransom from his sister to secure his release. This was prior to the operation by detectives from the DCI headquarters carried out this morning within the township.

A view of Kitengela town. /STANDARD DIGITAL

"Nobert Mulwo, 25, was freed from the bounds of a rope fastened on his legs and arms and a bloody bandage that kept his mouth shut, a calculated move staged to influence the family to act fast and send the ransom," DCI stated in part.

Acting on a report made at Kajiado Police Station last night indicating that Mulwo had been shoved in a Toyota Probox by two men who pretended to offer him a lift, DCI Crime Research and the Operations directorate moved swiftly in pursuit, tracing the alleged victim at Mutuku Lodgings in Kitengela. 

Upon rescue and brief interrogation, detectives found out that the kidnapping was an extortion scheme orchestrated by the 'victim' and his accomplice only identified as Ndolo, after he (Mulwo) lost his entire November salary to betting.

During the operation, the detectives recovered Ksh10,100 in cash and the handset he used to communicate with the family.

"Also taken as exhibits were a scalpel blade and bandages he was using on the self-inflicted wound to create the impression that his kidnappers were ruthless and meant business. He has been handed over to DCI Kajiado for legal processing and arraignment," added DCI.

This serves as an example of how betting is manifesting into a serious epidemic involving a large portion of the population, particularly the youth between the ages of 16-25 years, who participate in various betting activities, including sports betting and online casino games.

Reports suggest that more than 50 per cent of the population engages in gambling, driven by the easy accessibility of betting platforms and the influence of aggressive marketing, including endorsements by local celebrities.