Detectives on Monday night rescued a female university student who was kidnapped five days ago.
Daisy Chebet Barno, a fourth-year student at Egerton University was on January 26, kidnapped by three men in Kabarak, Nakuru and taken to an unknown destination.
A statement by the DCI said Barno's friend and coursemate, Faith Mwende had conspired with her boyfriend and other suspects, to kidnap her.
This was aimed at getting ransom from Barno's well-to-do family.
On Thursday, Barno was invited for a late lunch by Mwende’s boyfriend Simon Akuteka, 39, who lives with his wife in Rwanda.
"After being convinced that Mwende would be joining them later, she obliged and got into Akuteka's car, which detectives later learnt belonged to a car hire agent based in Nairobi," DCI said.
Akuteka is said to have driven towards Kabarak, to supposedly pick up a parcel.
However, along the way, he stopped the car and two men got into the vehicle.
They then informed Barno that she had been kidnapped and proceeded to demand a ransom of Sh600,000 from her family.
The Directorate said they drove to Ruiru, around OJ restaurant where they rented a two-bedroom air bnb.
Barno was locked in one of the bedrooms, while Mwende who had since joined them took the other bedroom.
The victim's family had since paid part of the ransom, Sh50,000.
At the time, detectives, who had received a report from Barno's family, were scouting areas including Thika, Murang'a, Kajiado and Ruiru, which the suspects were operating from.
Sleuths based at the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau found the four on Monday night at the apartment.
Following the raid, the suspects defied orders to surrender and a commotion characterised by a fistfight ensued between them and the detectives drawn from DCI Nakuru and Ruiru.
The DCI said preliminary investigations have since revealed that the main suspect, Simon Akuteka, is a fugitive who has several cases of stealing motor vehicles pending before Nairobi and Kisumu courts.
"The second suspect John Mbau, 38, also has similar motor vehicle stealing cases pending before several courts, while the third Elijah Chege, 31, is a small-time suspected offender based at Witeithie, who was recently introduced to serious crimes," DCI added.
Alongside the three, Mwende is also in custody as investigations are underway.
The detectives recovered one sellotape, a rope, assorted mobile phones, several sim cards and the victim's identity card.
