Family's agony as daughter goes missing

A family in Molo, Nakuru County, is appealing for help to find their daughter, who mysteriously disappeared earlier this year.

Maureen Kwamboka, 21, a second-year clinical medicine student at Kabarak University, last spoke to her mother on March 22 and has not been seen or heard from again.

The young woman's mother, Rebecca Nyaitondi, says she is spending sleepless nights waiting for her daughter’s safe return. 

“I can’t sleep. I can’t work. I can’t do anything without thinking about my daughter. My life is almost coming to a standstill,” the mother of four daughters told Nation.co.ke as tears welled up in her eyes.

Mrs Nyaitondi says when she last spoke to her daughter by phone they talked for less than 10 seconds before the girl's phone went dead.

“When I called her she said ‘mum’ and her phone went dead. I called her back she could not be reached,” she said.

That was the last time she heard from her daughter.

Mrs Nyaitondi reported her daughter's disappearance to Kabarak University chief security officer Joel Lang’at and recorded a statement on March 26.

However, she says, since she reported the matter the university administration has offered her little help.

Mr Lang’at confirmed that incident was reported at the Menengai Police Station.

Acting Kabarak University Vice-chancellor Henry Kiplagat said, “The matter is being handled by the university's security team and the police.”

So far, the police have not made any headway in resolving the mystery.

As Ms Nyaitondi became more desperate, she sought help from the Molo Police Station. Officers at the station tracked the girl' phone.

TRACE HANDSET

“My daughter’s handset was traced and was found in Mirera, Ruiru, Kiambu County,” said Mrs Nyaitondi.

A young man with the phone was arrested. The suspect was taken to Nakuru, charged with kidnapping and later released on bond. The case is scheduled for another for another hearing on June 16.

Ms Nyaitondi says the search for her daughter has affected her psychologically as she keeps receiving fake phone calls that turn out to be the worst jokes in her life.

“One day my phone rang and (someone) said, ‘I have your daughter. I want Sh350',” recalled the mother.

“I thought the caller wanted Sh350,000 but he insisted he only wanted Sh350,” she said

BAD JOKE

She sent the money and when the phone was tracked its owner was found at Salgaa Trading Centre.

“The young man later profusely apologised to me, saying he was only looking for money to buy supper and would refund me the money,” she said.

Ms Nyaitondi has visited Nakuru Level 5 Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital and City mortuaries and all police stations in Nakuru County but has not found her daughter.

“I want my daughter dead or alive because I’m undergoing hard times,” she added.

She urges anyone with information on the disappearance of her daughter to call her on 0722 888 233 or report to the nearest police station.