A man suspected of kidnapping a three-year-old girl in the presence of her mother and later demanding ransom is now being investigated for murder after the child’s body was discovered in Kware area, Nairobi.
The case, which remains under active investigation, was first reported by the girl’s mother, Ruth Shionzo, at Kware Police Station on February 9, 2026, under OB 9/2/4/2026. The deceased child has been identified as Benta Clara.
In an affidavit filed before the Makadara Law Courts, the investigating officer PC Shadrack Melly of DCI Embakasi told the court that the incident occurred on April 1, 2026.
Shionzo was at her home in Pipeline Estate when she decided to fetch water from a nearby residential water point, accompanied by her daughter Clara.
As Shionzo locked her rental house, the young girl wandered towards the gate of the residential plot. In the dimly lit corridors, Clara was allegedly abducted by the suspect.
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Distraught, the mother immediately searched the area and asked neighbours if anyone had seen her daughter, but her efforts were in vain. She later reported the child missing at Kware Police Station.
Investigations were taken over by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on April 2, 2026. Shortly afterwards, the suspect allegedly began sending WhatsApp messages to Shionzo, including a photograph of Clara, and made several calls demanding Sh20,000 as ransom for the child’s release.
This prompted swift action by detectives, who used analytical methods to trace and arrest the suspect. Police later recovered the child's in the Kware area, which was positively identified.
Investigators are yet to submit two mobile phones and their paired SIM cards to a forensic laboratory for cyber analysis, evidence which PC Melly said would be crucial to the case.
Detectives are also pursuing leads that could uncover a wider kidnapping gang operating in the Embakasi area, allegedly led by the suspect. Several key witness statements are still pending and some crucial witnesses are yet to be traced and interviewed.
Investigations are ongoing, with further updates expected as more evidence is gathered.