Police seek man who drugged and kidnapped two pupils

Police are pursuing a man accused of kidnapping two pupils and holding them hostage for two days in Ngurubani, Kirinyaga county.

The suspect allegedly drugged the children, a boy and a girl aged five and 12, respectively, on Sunday and took them to his rental house, where he locked them up.

The children are in grades Two and Five, respectfully, at local private primary schools.

It is believed that they were playing when they were lured away, drugged and abducted.

When the pupils came to their senses on Tuesday morning, the suspect released them and went into hiding.

The children’s parents were shocked to find them stranded on a street in Ngurubani complaining of dizziness.

The parents reported the matter at the Wang'uru Police Station and recorded statements.

Mwea East sub-county police boss Daniel Kitavi said the children were taken to a hospital for medical examinations to establish whether they had been defiled.

A manhunt for the suspected kidnapper was underway.

"We suspect the children were sexually abused and that is why we want them subjected to a medical examination to establish the truth of the matter," Mr Kitavi said.

He added that the children were from different homes in the town.

The children’s parents started searching for them immediately after they learnt that they were missing, he said.

They became suspicious that something was amiss when the children failed to return home on Sunday evening.

"They spent sleepless nights looking for the young ones everywhere and luckily they stumbled upon them in town after two days," Mr Kitavi said.

The parents told reporters that they were still reeling in shock, urging the police to find the kidnapper.