Families of two car dealers can now breathe a sigh of relief after a weekend scare that saw the duo abducted as they took a high-end vehicle for viewing by a would-be customer.
Brian Karanja and Ken Gitau had been called last Friday by the client to take the Land Cruiser Prado J120 to him to view, and possibly strike a deal. The calling client said he was at a place along Thika road.
As dusk succeeded day on Friday, the two could not be reached by their loved ones and their friends could not tell their whereabouts either.
Their phones were not going through.
It took a post by a social media user who is also their fellow car dealer, to make their suspected disappearance at the hand of their would-be client, get public attention.
“This business of ours has a dark side— kidnappers and/or car jackers. Our colleagues Karanja and Gitau have been missing since Friday, after driving this Land Cruiser Prado J120 to a potential client for viewing. The relevant authorities have been contacted for action. Please share and repost,” social media announcement by one of their fellow trader said.
The gunmen behind the incident dumped the Prado at Kahawa Wendani along Thika Road after they were accosted by an online taxi driver who wanted to be compensated for a hit and run.
Witnesses said the men opened fire on Sunday night after the Prado veered off the road and crashed into a rail guard.
The car had earlier on, while speeding on the highway, hit a taxi that had been parked by the roadside in Juja.
The driver then sped off before even negotiating with the taxi driver on how to compensate him for the damages he had caused.
Aggrieved by the matter and the presumed arrogance, the taxi driver trailed the Prado in a highway chase from Juja to Kahawa Wendani. During the chase, the occupants of the vehicle shot in the air scare off the taxi driver who did not comply, but instead continued risking his life.
Amid the loud gunshots, the taxi driver claimed to hear someone inside the Prado screaming for help. A victim of carjacking wearing a white vest had been locked in the boot of the car and his mouth tied with a cello tape.
The car later rammed onto a rail and got stuck there before armed occupants—two men and a woman—jumped out. They took a motorcycle to escape the scene.
They then at gun point ordered the rider off before they took its charge and rode off.
“They drew their weapons and forced the boda boda rider to scamper for safety before the taxi driver could zero down on them stranded on the highway,” a witness said.
Residents rushed to the Prado and found a man believed to be the owner of the vehicle tied and locked therein. It emerged the men had stolen the Prado, kidnapped the man, and used him as a hostage to demand ransom from his family since Friday.
His family had put a request online saying two dealers who were delivering the car to a client were missing after suspected carjacking and kidnapping.
The residents untied him from the boot before police officers arrived at the scene and took him to hospital. Police said investigations into the accident, kidnapping and hit and run case are ongoing.
The car seller who sent the two had reported the Prado and his two colleagues were missing.
According to the businessman, the two men went missing on Friday after driving the Land Cruiser to a potential client for viewing.
The businessman who posted their missing alert confirmed on Monday that the abducted man was found safe and sound despite being tied in the car.
The second man was also reported safe, but his whereabouts are still unknown.
Detectives are pursuing the gunmen who escaped the scene. Police spokesman Resila Onyango confirmed the incident was under investigation.
