Kidnap kingpin traced in Kamiti prison

By CYRUS OMBATI

A condemned prisoner believed to be behind a series of kidnapping incidents has been arrested at the Kamiti Maximum Prisons in Nairobi.

Police traced the gang leader Raphael Nderitu Maina alias Ali Nderitu Maina to his cells at the prisons after days of investigations linked him to the incidents.

Detectives handling the case say Maina is believed to have been working with other prisoners to con and demand money from innocent Kenyans.

His arrest came after he and his gang kidnapped a six year old girl from Mavuno Church in South C late last month and started to demand ransom from her parents on September 30.

Police have since arrested and charged six women over the incident.

The women, Ms Charity Wakonyo Gathigi, Ms Judy Wangui Wambui, Ms Ann Wambui Njeri, Ms Purity Muthoni Ranji and Ms Monicah Wanjiru Makumi have since been charged in court.

They were also accused of demanding Sh5 million ransom from the girl’s father, Mr Antony Muturi.

The girl was kidnapped from Sunday School at the church and rescued by police days later from a two-bedroom house in Nairobi’s Kariobangi North estate, where she had been held for eight days

Makadara CID boss Zack Nanguli said they expect to charge Maina on Wednesday with kidnapping and other charges.

He added they are investigating to establish if Maina and his accomplices were also behind the kidnap and killing of Mr Emanuel Nderu whose body was found on the roadside days after he was abducted.

The body of the late Nderu was discovered in Ruiru, near Clayworks area by police who were alerted by passersby and later taken to the City Mortuary days after his kidnap.

This was several days after Nderu who worked as an interior designer had been kidnapped from a church in the area where he was attending.

Police say Nderu was called unknown people who told him they had a message for him. And when he went to check on the callers, he was abducted and bundled into a car, which drove away.

Investigations have shown the family of Nderu decided not to involve police in tracking down the kidnappers. The family is said to have sent substantial amount of money to the kidnappers as ransom in efforts to release him in vain.