Police in Mbarara district is holding a 23-year-old woman from Wakiso district for allegedly kidnapping a seven year old pupil and demanding Shs 1.5 million.
Police have identified the suspect as Peninah Nahabwe 23, a resident of Abaita Ababili cell, Katabi parish in Entebbe, Wakiso district.
According to Police, Peninah walked away with Joshua Nabimanya, a P.1 pupil from Mbarara Municipal School found in Mbarara Municipality.
The Police spokesperson for Rwizi Region, ASP Samson Kasasira said that a case of kidnap was reported at Mbarara Police station by the child’s parents last week.
“The boy was reported missing last week on 15th November 2018 as he left school heading to central market where his mother Monica Kirabo works,” he said.
ASP Kasasira says the suspected kidnapper was picked up and arrested by CID officers from her residence in Wakiso district on Saturday November 17, together with the child in question.
The Rwizi Police spokesperson says Joshua’s kidnap stemmed from money amounting to Shs 1.5 million owed to Peninah by the boys mother. Peninah claims she gave the money to Kirabo last year.
“When we talked to Peninah, she said Monica owed her Shs 1.5 million which she took in May 2017 and has since refused to pay it back,” ASP Kasasira told SoftPower News.
“So, she tried to push Monica by taking her own child so that she could pay back what she owed her,” explained Kasasira.
In an interesting turn of events, Kasasira revealed that Monica Kirabo is in fact a paternal aunt to Peninah and that the two hail from Masha sub-county in Isingiro district. This makes the young boy (victim) a cousin to Peninah.
The suspect will soon be produced in court and charged with kidnap with an intention to ask for ransom.