Police rescue Homa Bay official's children from abductors

Police have rescued Homa Bay County Secretary Isaiah Ogwe’s three children after a four-day ordeal at the hands of kidnappers.

Detective Thomas Nyakundi and other officers found the children in a remote village in Tanzania, where they had been hidden by the captors.

Rose Akinyi Ogwe, 10, Isaiah Ogwe Jr, seven and Risper Awino Ogwe were reunited with their father and their mother, Mrs Rose Anne.

Mrs Rose Anne was so overcome with emotion on seeing her children she fainted and was taken to the Homa Bay public hospital.

The main suspect in the abduction had been arrested at his home in Uriri, Migori County.

He was arrested with the help of the local assistant chief in Uriri and brought undercover to the Homa Bay Police Station at 2pm on Monday.

A JOB WELL DONE

His arrest came after police tracked him down using his mobile phone details and past crime records.

The man is said to have been facing murder and robbery charges.

A source said at the police station, the suspect was interrogated intensely up to midnight until he finally revealed the whereabouts of the children.

An elated Mr Ogwe thanked the police for saving his children from the abductors.

He praised the Tanzanian Government for its cooperation in the case.

RESCUE OPERATION

According to sources, officers left the Homa Bay Police Station for Tanzania at midnight in the company of the suspect.

On reaching Tanzania, the Kenyan security officers sought the assistance of their counterparts, who accompanied them to the home where the children were being kept.

Residents thronged the Homa Bay Police Station to have a glimpse of the suspects and the three children.

Anti-riot police were on hand to maintain order after hundreds of youths attempted to lynch the suspects.

At Mr Ogwe’s rural home, friends and relatives praised God as soon as they set their eyes on the children.

Governor Cyprian Awiti praised the police who conducted the rescue.

“This is commendable work and I want to salute the security officers for the good work,” he said.

“Homa Bay County has been a peaceful county. We will not allow criminals to spoil our peace,” he added.

Mr Awiti promised a reward to the gallant officers who rescued the three children.

County Commissioner Kassim Farah also praised the officers for their swift action.

Homa Bay Town MP Peter Opondo Kaluma, who was also present at the police station, praised the officers.

Mr Kaluma agreed with the governor and the county commissioner that the war on criminals should be stepped up.

“We cannot accept a situation where one minute an M-Pesa shop is raided, a bank is robbed and children kidnapped,”