Kidnapping charge turns dramatic as hunter becomes hunted

 

The drama began on September 28, 2026, when two women brought a young girl to Muthoni’s home in Bahati. [AFP]

An accusation of kidnapping ended up with a businesswoman in legal trouble after she allegedly attacked a 90-year-old woman who was trying to help pray for a young girl in distress.

Consolata Muthoni, an elderly prophetess, and her daughter Zipporah Wanja were initially taken to a police station and thrown into a cell.

They were accused of kidnapping a minor living with a disability who had come to their home for prayers.

But after police looked into the matter, they realised the real culprit was Christine Njoki, the minor’s mother who reported them.

Stepfather

The drama began on September 28, 2026, when two women brought a young girl to Muthoni’s home in Bahati. The girl was deeply troubled and having suicidal thoughts. While talking, the teenager opened up about her home life.

She said her mother had remarried, and her stepfather was abusing her. Whenever she tried to tell her mother, Njoki, she was beaten up and called crazy. After she was prayed to by the elderly woman, the girl refused to go back home. She requested for bus fare to go and stay with her biological father who lives in Central Kenya. Since Muthoni didn’t have enough money, she allowed the girl to stay until the following day.

Around 11:30pm, Njoki found out where her daughter was and stormed Muthoni’s house.

The girl and Muthoni’s daughter had just stepped out to fetch water. Njoki allegedly attacked the 90-year-old woman while she was still in bed, refusing to listen to any explanations. When Wanja and the teenager returned home, Njoki caused a ruckus, accusing the duo of abducting her daughter. Since she had mobilised other people, they took Muthoni and her daughter to Jogoo Police Station.

However, the tables quickly turned. After listening to the story, police arrested Njoki instead. Prosecutors have now charged her with violent robbery, saying she and a group of people attacked the elderly woman and stole two phones worth Sh14,200 from Muthoni and her daughter. But Njoki, through her lawyer Miriam Ongaro, told the court that her daughter had secretly been taken away from her custody by the complainants.

“My client was looking for her daughter when she was informed she had been taken to Muthoni’s house to be prayed for and upon her arrival, she found her daughter being made to fetch water at 11.30 pm.”

Ongaro told Magistrate Jane Mbati that there was no kidnapping or robbery.

“My client was simply a worried mother looking for her missing daughter, and that she only took the phones to hand them over to the police when escorting the women to the police station.”

The court having considered the application, granted her a cash bail of Sh100,000.