Gangster granny shot dead as cops rescue kidnap victim

Three suspected kidnappers were on Thursday night gunned down by police officers in Kahuro, Murang’a county.

The three included an 80-year-old woman who kidnapped a woman in her 30s for six days at Gathuku village.

Margaret Waithera, who spoke to journalists after she was rescued by police officers, said she was kidnapped last Friday on her way home in the neighbouring Kiria village. The gang was in a vehicle that had a government number plate. Waithera said she was driving at 8pm along a road full of potholes and had slowed down when she saw the vehicle signalling her from behind. The vehicle overtook her and barricaded the road.

Waithera said after sensing danger, she locked herself inside her car, but the kidnappers were able to unlock her doors remotely.

“They dragged me out of my car and into their vehicle, slapped me and asked me to give them all the money I had and ATMs,” Waithera said. They then gave her a drink that made her lose consciousness before taking her to a house where they held her for six days.

Waithera said the old woman made her a dish of rice and green grams everyday and had threatened to chop off her head if she was uncooperative. The suspects, she said, had a photo of her father and told her their initial intention was to kidnap him.

They then asked for the contacts of two of her brothers and demanded a ransom of Sh5 million, failing which they would harm her. Waithera was overjoyed when her relatives came to get her shortly after she was rescued by police officers.

Criminal investigations officer Julius Rutere said the police recovered an AK-47 rifle and toy pistol.

The police had tracked the phone numbers the kidnappers were using to the granny’s home, gunning her and two other suspects down.

Sources in the police indicate the three defied an order to open the door, prompting an exchange of fire.