Three 17-year-olds have been arrested by police in Imenti North, Meru County, for allegedly staging a fake kidnapping in the Kainginyo area and demanding a ransom of KSh6 million from the family of the supposed victim.
In a misguided attempt to get rich quickly, the trio—two males and one female—reportedly pretended that the female had been kidnapped and contacted her parents with threats of their daughter disappearing forever unless the ransom was paid.
After receiving a report about a missing child on September 24, officers from the Meru Police Station launched a search in the area, providing support to the worried family, who were struggling with negotiations and searching for their daughter without success.
During the investigation, detectives from Imenti North uncovered a disturbing scheme. The alleged victim, identified as Jane (a pseudonym), had colluded with her two male accomplices to fake her kidnapping in order to extort money from her own family.
Using forensic evidence, authorities located Jane and her accomplices in their hideout in Kainginyo, where they also discovered 20 rolls of marijuana.
While the family expresses relief at the safe return of their loved one, Jane and her co-conspirators are currently in custody at Igoji Police Station, awaiting charges for conspiracy to defraud and possession of narcotics, according to the DCI.
