Police in Nairobi are investigating cases of child theft within the city.
Njiru subcounty police boss Wilson Kosgei said they had intensified the probe following increased reports of children who had mysteriously disappeared.
“We are investigating several cases of lost children in the subcounty with the latest case being of a child who mysteriously disappeared from their home in Utawala,” Kosgei said.
Another police officer who requested anonymity since she is not authorized to speak to the press said around six cases of children who had gone missing from Utawala area had been reported at her station since January.
Kosgei said a family lost their 10-year-old son from their home in Mihang’o on January 18.
Peter Maloba, the child’s father, reported that his son Paul Joshua Maloba disappeared after he left the house for a short call at around 6am.
“Our son disappeared on January 18 after he shortly left the house at Mihang’o area in Utawala, Njiru subcounty. He had walked out from a bed he shares with one of his brothers for a short call,” Maloba said.
He said the boy’s stepmother together with himself checked on the boy after he stayed out for about 10 minutes.
“We decided to search for the boy since he had stayed outside the house unusually long. We couldn’t understand where he had gone since it was cold and drizzling,” Maloba said.
The couple said they had searched for the boy everywhere in vain.
They said after printing a poster announcing their son’s disappearance, several people called them demanding a ransom for his release.
“I have received several text messages, some threatening while others demanding for ransom. I am wondering where these threats are coming from,” he said.
He pleaded with anybody who knows their son’s whereabouts to either surrender him to them or to any police station near them.
“I am pleading with anybody holding my son to release him. My child should not be used to settle grudges even if I have any with anybody,” Maloba said.
The couple addressed the press in Mihang’o on Monday.
The couples’ neighbours complained of what they termed increased cases of child theft in the area.
Maloba said he sent someone claiming to be a senior CID officer Sh1,000 by phone but never found his son. The man had called demanding the money claiming he had the boy.
Kosgei said police investigations had revealed those sending threatening messages and demanding ransom were conmen taking advantage of the posters circulated by the couple.
He said they were doing everything possible to find the lost boy among others and reconnect them with their families.
The police boss warned that they would soon catch up with the criminals behind child theft not only in Njiru subcounty but the entire city.
