A Sudanese national accused of masterminding kidnappings targeting foreigners was arrested on Wednesday in Kenya, a few days after the arrest of two accomplices.
The suspect is accused of leading a three-member gang which had fake documents indicating they are members of the International Police (Interpol) Task Force which they used to lure the foreigners.
Area police boss Peter Katam say the three suspects will be arraigned in court on Thursday and they urge Kenyans and foreigners who may have fallen victim to them to report the cases.
“In addition to asking for ransom, the suspects used to torture victims while threatening to kill them as they recorded them on video,” he added.
The arrest of the three comes after they kidnapped a prominent businessman from Sudan whom they held hostage for 17 days in an apartment in Kenya’s capital Nairobi and only released him after they received a ransom.
“We also have video clips which were taken during the kidnapping session,” Katam said.
“They have handcuffs; they are armed. No wonder they purport to be members of Interpol,” he said.
Police believe the gang is widely networked and could be working with other people from the countries where the victims come from and also some Kenyans.
Investigations have been launched targeting their “agents.”
A senior Sudanese embassy official told one of Kenya’s leading news outlet, Capital FM News that the key suspect was also wanted in Khartoum.
