The abduction of a bank teller has exposed a syndicate of kidnappers forcing their victims to empty bank accounts.
Ms Angela Mwangi, who was kidnapped last week outside her Ongata Rongai home, was released on Monday after her abductors beat and forced her to use her work passwords to withdraw and transfer millions of shillings to their accounts.
Police said they are questioning two suspects in connection with the incident. They are expected in court today.
“This is a syndicate because they took her to a house where they used a laptop to force her to transfer money online, which they later withdrew. We have two prime suspects who are helping us with investigations,” said an officer who is aware of the progress of the investigation.
It is not yet clear whose accounts were affected in the incident, which police termed as new, shocking and worrying, or the amount of money involved.
However, sources told The Standard that at least Sh5 million was stolen.
KCB employee
Ms Mwangi, a teller at the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Ongata Rongai branch, went missing on Friday after three men abducted her.
The 28-year-old mother of three was walking home after buying a pizza when the men, who were driving a blue Peugeot, struck.
After the family made an appeal for her release, the kidnappers freed her on Monday. It was then that she recounted her ordeal to the police. Detectives had been mobilised to look for her after the kidnappers failed to communicate with the family.
On Tuesday, Rongai OCPD Symon Kiragu confirmed the woman had been released and they were pursuing more suspects.
“She is injured and needs to rest. We are hunting for more suspects who we believe were behind the incident,” he said on the telephone.
Police believe those behind the incident are people who had information on the accounts they targeted. They want banks to take measures to deter such incidents.
Banking threat
“It is worrying because this is a new syndicate that can undermine the industry. That is why we ask banks to take action on this,” said a senior officer, who asked not to be named.
The incident came a week after the bodies of two men who had been kidnapped were found in Njiru area with gunshot wounds.
Police said they were called and informed about the bodies of Collins Limiri Muriungi and Stephen Kinyua.
The two had been kidnapped from Athi River area while transacting a business deal by gunmen who did not make any demands.
Source- http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/
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