By Antynet Ford
Three police officers were yesterday arraigned at the Mavoko Law courts in Machakos County after they were allegedly involved in the kidnapping of foreigners in Mlolongo.
Three attached to the General Service Unit (GSU) are suspected to have been involved in the incident and were being held since last week as investigations proceeded to establish the mastermind of the kidnapping which is gaining momentum.
Investigations have revealed an International criminal ring whose targets are well-picked after a background check of their financial muscles.
The Chinese who was kidnapped on January 8, 2024, was waylaid while heading to work when two cars blocked his car before being handcuffed and sped off towards Machakos.
Hours after his disappearance his friends who were concerned reported to the police about it and he was forensically traced to Mua Hills, Machakos.
The panic-stricken victim resurfaced in Athi River while the police were in search of him in the area.
He told the police he had been violently robbed in an ordeal with his kidnappers.
Investigations by the police have since established that five men including a Chinese national who is the mastermind, a taxi driver, and the three police officers had executed the kidnapping.
Upon arrival at the Mua Hills, the mastermind called the victim’s family back in China demanding an unestablished amount of ransom, which was wired to a bank account in China.
After the money was deposited, the gang’s accomplices in China confirmed that the family had complied, and the victim was released.
Swinging into action, Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Crime Research and Intelligence detectives initiated a systematic probe into the abduction right from Mombasa Road, where two vehicles were picked as vehicles of interest.
On Friday, January 12, the taxi was traced to Rongai and the owner was arrested.
He however informed the police that on the day in question, a friend of his had borrowed his car while he (the owner) took his kids to school on the reporting day.
Investigations revealed that the named suspect who is still at large was a former staff at the victim’s company, and had been in constant communication with the arrested officers.
The forensic analysis placed the four at the scene of the crime.
Further, investigations have also led to the recovery of the vehicle which has been detained at Mlolongo Police Station, police said.
As the search for the master planner in the kidnapping of fellow Chinese nationals continues, Interpol operations have also been launched to pursue the gang’s accomplices in China.
