Police in Homa Bay County are hunting for a suspect who allegedly kidnapped a 12 year old boy a week ago at Rodi Kopany trading centre within Homa Bay Town constituency.
The boy was later found abandoned at Kisumu Bus Park over the weekend.
The minor identified as Jack Ochieng Omondi, a class six pupil at Rodi primary school, was kidnapped on Sunday March 17th by unknown suspects while on his way back home from Rodi trading centre where he had been sent to buy meat.
Confirming the incident to KNA, Homa bay County Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Daniel Wachira said that the boy was first taken to Kakamega County by the suspect who had demanded Sh15 million ransom from his parents to release the child.
Wachira said that over the weekend, the suspect released the boy and gave him fare from Kakamega to Kisumu where he was found stranded at the bus park last evening adding that the abductor never received any money from the parents to release the child.
The officer said that the minor was taken to Central Police station in Kisumu where police later contacted his parents to inform them on his whereabouts adding that the boy is out of danger and had no injury on his body.
At the same time the county CID boss said that his officers together with police officers in the area are following some crucial leads to ensure that the suspects behind the kidnap are apprehended.
He revealed that they have realised that there is a group of people running a cartel in the four Luo Nyanza counties targeting children from high class families in the area for kidnap and later demanding huge sums as ransom saying they have launched a manhunt for such suspects.
Ken Kowuo who has been staying with the minor says that the boy is still traumatised after the incident and they are monitoring his status before going back to school for his end term examination.
By Martin Shikuku and Davis Langat
