Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) unraveled a bizarre case on Friday when they rescued a 25-year-old man in Kitengela, only to discover he had staged his own kidnapping in an elaborate extortion scheme.
The ordeal began when Nobert Mulwo’s family reported his alleged abduction to Kajiado Police Station.
According to the report, unknown assailants had forcefully bundled him into a Toyota Probox on Thursday night.
Soon after, the supposed kidnappers contacted Mulwo’s sister, demanding Ksh.100,000 as ransom for his release.
To heighten the urgency, Mulwo inflicted wounds on himself and staged photos showing him bound and gagged with ropes. He sent these distressing images to his sister to make the threat appear credible.
DCI’s Crime Research and Operations detectives promptly launched an operation and tracked Mulwo to Mutuku Lodgings in Kitengela.
There, they found him tied up with ropes around his legs and arms, his mouth gagged with a bloodied bandage—part of the ruse to pressure his family into paying the ransom.
After freeing him, detectives quickly established that Mulwo had masterminded the entire plot.
He admitted to staging the kidnapping after losing his November salary to gambling. He had conspired with an accomplice, identified only as Ndolo, to execute the scheme.
The DCI revealed in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) that they recovered Ksh.10,100 in cash, a mobile phone used to communicate with the family, a scalpel blade, and bandages Mulwo used to inflict self-harm and stage his injuries.
“Upon rescue and brief interrogation, detectives uncovered that the kidnapping was an extortion scheme orchestrated by the ‘victim’ and his accomplice… after he lost his entire November salary to betting,” read the DCI statement.
Mulwo is currently in custody at the DCI offices in Kajiado, where he awaits processing and arraignment. Authorities have taken the evidence as exhibits as investigations continue.
