This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
On June 6, 2022, Rebecca, a 23-year-old Sudanese woman living in Nakuru, was kidnapped by a notorious gang that has been terrorizing the town for over five years, despite being outlawed in 2016.
According to Rebecca, she had left her house in Park View estate to deposit Sh25,000 for her brother at a local bank in Nakuru town when she was flagged down by a boda boda operator who took her to the gang's hideout in Bondeni slums.
Rebecca narrated her ordeal, stating that the boda boda operator started behaving strangely, claiming his motorcycle did not have enough fuel and speeding towards the slums. She was bleeding due to her recent childbirth complications and pleaded with the rider to slow down, but he threatened to kill her if she spoke up.
When they arrived at the slums, three men were waiting, armed with machetes, clubs, and other weapons. They pinned her down, took her handbag, and demanded a ransom of Sh50,000 from her husband. They also asked her personal questions, including her family details and how she came to Kenya.
Rebecca was held hostage for over seven hours, during which time she was subjected to physical and emotional abuse. However, one of the gang members showed kindness and pleaded with his accomplices to release her, citing that the Sh25,000 they had taken was enough.
Eventually, the gang released Rebecca, warning her not to report the incident to the police. She walked home, stopping to take breaths along the way due to her weakened state. Her husband was working with the police to trace her through the mobile phone used to make the ransom demand, but by the time they arrived at the scene, the gang had vanished.
