[News] Two suspects beaten to pulp for allegedly kidnapping varsity students

Two suspected kidnappers were arrested and beaten to pulp for kidnapping two tertiary level students in Kitengela, Machakos County, Kenya.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) in a statement on Thursday, November 2, 2023, said the victims went missing on October 27, after being lured to their kidnappers’ den by a female suspect.

The suspects, Brian Ombasa Omoso, 25 and Humphrey Hinga, 22, held the victims hostage at an AirBnB at Elgon View apartments in Kitengela, while demanding Sh6 million ransom from their parents.

According to DCI, the suspects who were arrested in the operation led by DCI’s Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau detective, are believed to have been working jointly with the woman who identifies and lures targeted victims.

The lady who identified herself to the victims as Debbie Zablon separately lured the duo for a meet-up at a common venue in Nairobi, and surrendered them to her accomplices.

During investigation, it emerged that the female accomplice had used a stolen ID card to register the line which she used to communicate with the male students.

The legitimate owner of the ID card had earlier reported its loss at Lang’ata Police Station, a move that exonerated her from the suspects’ mix.

The DCI added that the “terrified hunger-stricken victims were reunited with their kin, but not without a lesson of the existence of masquerades who will do anything for money.”

An imitation of a pistol, a dagger, subscriber sim cards used to contact the parents, fake front and rear car registration plates (KDD 881M) believed to have been used during their transportation and assorted tools were also recovered from the hostage room.

Meanwhile, a manhunt for the female miscreant who tucked away is underway.