A medical student at Makindu Medical Training College was detained by police officials from Kayole after he faked his own kidnapping to get money from his parents.
The 23-year-old suspect vanished on Sunday before he called his mother and blocked calls from his father, saying he had been abducted.
Before hanging up on the mother, the suspect told her that his captors demanded a ransom of Sh70,000 to release him. This was according to Directorate of Criminal Investigation chairman George Kinoti.
"His distraught parents reported the matter to police officers who immediately launched a manhunt for the kidnappers," Kinoti said.
However, the calls persisted with the suspect 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 on Wednesday via mobile money and an additional Sh40,000 on Thursday," Kinoti said.
Immediately after the suspect received the initial Sh10,000, he went to a club in Thika to have drinks in the company of a woman he had met.
The woman is said to have spiked his drink and stolen the cash.
"After regaining consciousness, he called again and his parents sent a further Sh40,000 which he withdrew and secured in his shoes," Kinoti added.
Upon questioning, the student said that he had squandered the money meant for his last semester’s school fees and was wondering how he would raise the fees in order to sit 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 the student who is now in custody at Kayole police station pending arraignment.
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