A 25-year-old man has been arrested for faking his own kidnapping, self-inflicting wounds, and demanding a ransom of Ksh 100,000 from his sister.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in a statement on Friday, December 13, revealed that Nobert Mulwo was initially “rescued” by detectives from DCI Headquarters. He was found tied with ropes and gagged with a bloody bandage, presenting a grim scene designed to pressure his family into paying the ransom quickly.
“Acting on a report made at Kajiado Police Station indicating that Mulwo had been shoved into a Toyota Probox by two men pretending to offer him a lift, the DCI’s Crime Research and Operations Directorate traced the alleged victim to Mutuku Lodgings in Kitengela,” the DCI said.
However, investigations soon unraveled the truth: Mulwo had orchestrated the elaborate extortion scheme with an accomplice identified as Ndolo.
According to the DCI, Mulwo resorted to the scam after losing his November salary to betting. Upon interrogation, detectives discovered that he had inflicted the injuries himself using a scalpel blade to feign brutality from his “kidnappers.”
Recovered items included Ksh 10,100 in cash, a handset used to communicate with his family, a scalpel blade, and bandages employed to stage the injuries.
“This was an extortion scheme orchestrated by the ‘victim’ and his accomplice, Ndolo. The injuries were self-inflicted to convince the family that the kidnappers were ruthless and serious,” the DCI added.
Following the revelations, Mulwo was handed over to DCI Kajiado for processing and is set to be arraigned in court. This case highlights the extent to which some individuals may go in pursuit of financial gain, underscoring the critical role of timely and thorough investigations.
