A 14-year-old juvenile who had been abducted from her parents home in Nyeri county on August 25, 2021, has been rescued by detectives from her captor.

The minor was rescued at Mto wa Mbu town in Tanzania, 514-kilometers away from her parents’ home and a main suspect arrested.

Before her disappearance, the suspect worked at an establishment near the minor’s home.

It is not clear if a ransom had been demanded for her to be released.

The school going child was on her mid term break, when the unfortunate incident happened, police and the parents said.

On the fateful night, she had stepped out of their house to answer a call of nature at 2 am, only for her parents to wake up in the morning and find their daughter missing.

The parents immediately reported at Gatitu police post but due to the gravity of the matter, Nyeri DCI boss John Gacheru, took over the investigations and escalated his file to headquarters for specialised action.

In a meticulously planned rescue mission led by DCI’s elite Special Service Unit and Tanzania’s regional crime office based in Arusha, the suspect was finally cornered on Sunday morning at 2am, within Engarika area and the girl rescued.

Tears flowed freely from the minor’s relatives and friends, as she was reunited with her distraught kin who have known no peace since her disappearance.

DCI George Kinoti said he appreciates the immediate action taken by Interpol, in facilitating his detectives and police officers from Mto wa Mbu in Tanzania, in ensuring that the class eight pupil is rescued and the suspect finally brought to justice.

The suspect is currently cooling his heels at Mto wa Mbu police cells, Arusha, Tanzania.

Incidents of kidnapping have been on the rise in a trend with ransom being demanded.

Police are calling for vetting of those employed at various levels and demand of identification documents to enable tracing. - CYRUS OMBATI, The Star