A bizarre incident unfolded when a 25-year-old man, identified as Norbert Mulwo, faked his own kidnapping in a desperate attempt to extort money from his family.
Mulwo went to extreme lengths, inflicting injuries on himself, tying himself up, and gagging his mouth with ropes.
He then sent alarming photos to his sister, claiming to be in grave danger and demanding a ransom of Ksh. 100,000 for his release.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) revealed that Mulwo staged the dramatic scene after losing his November salary to gambling.
His family, unaware of the deception, filed a report at the Kajiado Police Station, stating that Mulwo had been abducted by unknown men in a Toyota Probox on Thursday night in Kitengela.
The alleged kidnappers reportedly contacted his sister to demand the ransom.
The DCI’s Crime Research and Operations team quickly sprang into action, tracking the location of the supposed victim to Mutuku Lodgings in Kitengela. Upon arrival, they found Mulwo tied up and gagged, appearing to be in distress.
However, a brief interrogation revealed that the entire scenario was an elaborate hoax orchestrated by Mulwo himself.
In their statement, the DCI disclosed that Mulwo had enlisted the help of an accomplice, identified only as Ndolo, to carry out the fake kidnapping.
Investigators recovered Ksh. 10,100 in cash, the phone Mulwo used to communicate with his family, a scalpel blade, and bandages.
These items were part of the setup to convince his family that the “kidnappers” were serious and willing to harm him if the ransom wasn’t paid.
“Mulwo had inflicted wounds on himself, bound his legs and arms with ropes, and gagged his mouth with a bloody bandage to make it appear as though he was in immediate danger,” the DCI stated.
Mulwo is now in custody at the DCI offices in Kajiado as detectives finalize investigations before his arraignment.
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