Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) successfully rescued two tertiary-level students who had gone missing on October 27, 2023. The students, aged 21, had fallen prey to a female suspect who lured them into captivity.
The victims were found several days later, confined at an Airbnb in Elgon View apartments, Kitengela, Machakos County.
The kidnappers, identified as Brian Ombasa Omoso, 25, and Humphrey Hinga, 22, had been demanding a Sh6 million ransom from the students’ parents.
Following the arrest of the male suspects, detectives established a disturbing collaboration with the female suspect still at large. The trio allegedly worked together to identify and lure potential victims.
The female suspect, who went by the alias Debbie Zablon, employed a deceptive approach by arranging a meeting at a common venue in Nairobi with the unsuspecting students. Seizing the opportunity, she handed them over to her male accomplices.
Prompt action by DCI’s Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau detectives led to a thorough forensic analysis of potential leads. It was discovered that the female suspect had used a stolen ID card to register the communication line she used to contact the victims.
Notably, the legitimate owner of the ID card had reported its loss at Lang’ata Police Station, thereby absolving her from direct involvement.
The victims, subjected to a terrifying ordeal, were reunited with their families after an exhaustive search.
The investigation also yielded the recovery of an imitation pistol, a dagger, subscriber SIM cards used for communication with the parents, and fake front and rear car registration plates (KDD 881M), believed to have been used in their transportation. Various tools were also found in the hostage room.
The manhunt for the female suspect is currently underway.
