Near-death Experience Of A Thika Welder Who Was ‘Assaulted By Kidnapper Posing As Client’

Police in Thika have launched investigations aimed at unravelling circumstances under which a local welder was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted after being enticed with a business deal.

The victim, Gordon Otieno, was reportedly kidnapped in the outskirts of Makongeni hours after receiving a call from a person he believed was a potential client.

According to the victim account statement recorded at the Fourteen Falls Police Patrol Base, the person told Otieno that he wanted his door fixed adding that he had been referred by one of his[Otieno] clients.

Little did he know that he had been duped.

He would later leave his working station at Makongeni in the evening to accompany his ‘client’ to the work location after they discussed the job and payment details on phone.

The said job, according to Otieno, was to be done at Landless area, not far from his station.

Read: Artist Signed To Bobi Wine’s Label Dies After Alleged Kidnap, Torture

The two met at Ananas Mall in Makongeni at about 6pm. The person told Otieno that since it was late, he needed to get into his car so they could go to the location for a discussion before he could begin the work the following morning.

Both of them sat at the backseat as the client’s driver drove off.

Moments later, instead of the driver stopping at Landless, he diverted to Gatuanyaga. It’s at this point that Otieno was alarmed — he knew something was wrong.

The ‘client’ directed the driver to take the vehicle to an isolated area near Del Monte farm where he forced Otieno out of the vehicle, forced him to lie down and assaulted him.

According to police reports, presence of a car in a bush, its dim lights and the commotion that ensured attracted Del Monte’s security guards who rushed to the scene in their van forcing the attackers to flee.

Read Also: Woman Jumps Out Of Moving Zuri Matatu As Operators Attempted To Kidnap Her

Police now say they are following crucial leads to bring the attackers to book.

“We have taken the matter with the seriousness it deserves,” Thika East divisional police commander (OCPD) Michael Mwaura told the Nation on phone.

The police boss further noted that Otieno is currently recovering from the assault trauma following the near-death experience

The incident comes months after a suspected kidnapper was gunned down by police in the sprawling Kiandutu slums.

According to the police, the ‘dangerous criminal’ had kidnapped two girls from Kenyatta Secondary School in Makongeni, Thika, on May 1, 2019.

Read Also: Man Suspected Of Kidnapping Girl Gunned Down In Thika

During the incident, the cops recovered a pistol with four rounds of ammunition.

Last year, the police also rescued a five-year-old boy who was reported kidnapped in the area.

The October 2018 operation left the alleged kidnapper dead. The woman, who the child was living with, was arrested.

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