Schoolgirl held hostage by boda boda rider rescued

Police in Kirinyaga County on Sunday rescued a15-year-old secondary schoolgirl who had been held hostage for three days by a boda boda rider.

Acting on a tip off, police officers raided the boda boda rider’s house at dawn at Kiandai village in Gichugu Constituency.

But the man, who was not in the house at the time, escaped after learning that the police officers had raided his house.

The Form One girl, who hails from Nyeri County, was handed over to her parents at Kianyaga Police Station.

According to Kirinyaga East police boss Antony Wanjuu, the rider had on Friday visited Nyeri where he used to work as a farmhand.

'COUNTY TOUR'

He lured the student, pretending that he would take her on tour of the county and bring her home in the evening.

Instead of taking her home, he is said to have driven her to his home where he held her for three days.

Mr Wanjuu said the man took off immediately he learnt of the presence of the police officers in the village.

The police said they will charge him with defilement when they arrest him.

"We are tracking down the suspect and he will definitely face the law if seized," said Mr Wanjuu.

He asked the residents to cooperate with the police and volunteer information which can lead to the suspect’s arrest.