By Sarah Omondi
Police in Kayole are holding a 23-year-old student of Makindu Medical Training College for allegedly staging his own kidnapping to milk money from his parents.
Reports indicate that the medical student, Edwin Kamau ‘disappeared’ four days ago before he blocked his father and called his mother claiming to have been kidnapped.
He told the mother that his kidnappers wanted a ransom of Sh70,000, to set him free before he hanged up on her.
His distraught parents reported the matter to police officers who immediately launched a manhunt for the criminals.
However, the calls persisted with Kamau telling his mother that his kidnappers were on the verge of eliminating him.
Determined to secure the life of their son, they sent Sh10,000 yesterday via mobile money and an additional Sh40,000 today.
Immediately Kamau received the initial Sh10,000, he went to a club in Thika to make merry in the company of a woman he had met only for her to turn out to be a “pishori admin” who spiked his drink with an unknown substance and stole the cash.
Today after regaining consciousness, he called again and his parents sent a further Sh40,000 which he withdrew and secured in his shoes.
By this time, detectives had already traced him and on interrogation, he admitted having squandered the money meant for his last semester’s school fees.
He told police that the fake story was to raise money in order to sit for his exams.
He further disclosed that he had been ‘kidnapped’ alongside two other students whose parents had paid their ransoms.
Detectives recovered Sh38,600 from him.
