Detectives in pursuit of a suspected kidnapper in Kisii

**Three-year-old boy who went missing on Monday.** [Courtesy]

Tension runs high as detectives from Kisii are in pursuit of a woman suspected of kidnapping a three-year old boy from Nyanchwa area within Kisii Town.

The suspect is said to have kidnapped the child on Monday afternoon while he was playing in the company of two other children.

According to Hassan Omar, the missing child’s grandfather, he had no doubts the young boy identified as Hassan Ismail Hassan was taken away by the suspected woman whom he said had been living in the family’s neighborhood at Nubia in Nyanchwa.

Omar further said the that the woman in question approached the children as they were playing then gave two of them Sh10 each and lured them to go and buy ice-cream before she disappeared with the minor.

“The other two children who were tricked to buy ice-cream returned and when they could not find their friend, they went to her and reported the disappearance to the child’s grandmother who is a small scale grocer ,” Omar added.

Kisii County Criminal Intelligence Head Adan Guyo confirmed that the suspect was still at large amid efforts by the police to find her whereabouts.

Area residents say the suspected woman has been living in the neighborhood with her children who told the police that they could not comprehend their mother’s whereabouts.

The matter was booked at the Kisii Police Station and according to Mr Guyo, officers from the Special Crimes Prevention unit are still trailing the woman.

"I can confirm that a dedicated team of officers is pursuing the suspected kidnapper and within no time, we will be able to nab her and rescue the child," Guyo said.

The suspected woman’s husband who works within Kisii Town was also sought and interrogated but told the police he had did not know her whereabouts and that they had been separated for over four years.

The police are appealing to any person who could help the family find their son to volunteer intelligence to them.