The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has rescued an infant who was allegedly abducted in Nairobi’s Embakasi area and arrested four suspects in connection with the incident.
In a statement, the DCI said the child was safely recovered during an operation in Kware Mabatini following investigations launched after the mother reported the disappearance of her baby at Kware Police Station.
According to detectives, the incident occurred on July 8 in Pipeline, Embakasi, when the child’s mother was searching for employment. Police said she was allegedly approached by a man who claimed he could help her secure a job at a nearby hotel.
The DCI said the man reportedly advised the woman to leave her baby in the care of a woman operating a nearby business while they completed the job arrangements. When the mother returned, both the woman and the infant were gone.
Detectives from the DCI’s Embakasi office launched investigations that led them to a house in Kware Mabatini, where the missing child was found safe.
Four suspects, Callen Moraa, Frida Moraa, John Oyweri and Geoffrey Murayi, were arrested during the operation.
“A mother’s desperate search for a job spiralled into a nightmare when her infant was stolen. Thanks to the relentless efforts of DCI detectives, the baby has been safely reunited with the family, and four suspects are now in custody,” the DCI said in a statement.
The agency said the child has since been reunited with the mother, while the four suspects remain in police custody pending arraignment. The DCI added that investigations are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction and whether additional suspects may have been involved.
The case has drawn attention to the risks posed by fraudulent job offers, which investigators say are sometimes used to target unsuspecting members of the public. Police have urged job seekers to verify employment opportunities and avoid leaving children or personal belongings with strangers.
Authorities have encouraged anyone with information that could assist the investigation to report it to the nearest police station or DCI office.
No further details on the suspects or the intended motive behind the alleged abduction had been released by the DCI at the time of publication.