The 17-year-old teenager who disappeared on April 6 from their home in Ganjoni was not abducted, forced to disappear by police or recruited by militant groups as previously thought.
Faraj Omar
on Monday confessed that he escaped after gambling away the
Sh20,0000 his mother Safia Mohamed had sent him for upkeep.
The teen went missing a day after his mother returned from abroad and was located in Diani Town on Sunday.
He had left for college, leaving behind his laptop and phone when he vanished.
The mother said Omar spent most
of his
time on the two accessories but she did not question.
"I'm lucky because my son was not dead, some commit suicide because of betting," she said.
There were fears police had a hand in his ordeals or a militant group.
Omar said that was the first bet.
When recovered by Muslims for Human Rights chairman Khelef Khalif in Diani, Omar lied he had been kidnapped and put incommunicado in the period under review.
He said he did not eat.
Omar claimed his "abductors" decided to release and dropped him at a shade in Diani Beach after "failing to get ransom from my mother".
But on Monday at a press conference in Muhuri's offices, Omar said all the nine days were spent at the shade.
"I used to sleep at the beach. I was afraid of my mom and I decided to run away. Mom, please forgive me," he said in tears.
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Khalifa questioned why an under-age was allowed to gamble. He said policy governing betting industries must be reviewed and stringent measures put.
"This game has proved to be very dangerous. The government must act immediately and ensure minors are not part of gambling," Khalifa said.