Officer in Chinese kidnap case among four killed in shoot-out

Four suspected kidnappers who had demanded a ransom to release a Chinese national were killed in Nairobi yesterday.

Among those killed was an Administration Police officer who, together with three other suspects, had demanded Sh100 million to release the kidnapped Chinese.

Pius Gitare of the Special Crimes Unit said the kidnappers were well known.

“A pistol, police pocket phone and handcuffs were recovered from the suspects,’’ he said.

The Chinese national is believed to have been kidnapped from a restaurant in Nairobi on Thursday last week and taken to Jamhuri Esate where he was held hostage. The report of the missing Chinese national was filed at the Kilimani Police Station where the detectives immediately launched an operation to locate him.

The suspects were shot dead in a shoot-out with the police at Santack estate on Ngong Road.

Cases of police officers colluding with criminals have been on the rise.