DNK International By Our Reporter,Malindi.
Detectives in Kilifi County have arrested a 25 year old man in connection with a staged abduction that led to a ransom demand targeting a senior prison officer.
According to a follow up report filed at Malindi Police Station yesterday,officers from the DCI Headquarters’ Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), the Coast Region DCI Operations Team, and DCI Malindi, under the command of Peter Kilemi, arrested the suspect, identified as Lucky Okoth at around 3:00 p.m. yesterday in the Sabasaba area of Malindi Sub-County.
The arrest followed investigations into the reported abduction of 17 year old Deborah Chepeng’at, who went missing on April 11, 2026.
The suspect had allegedly been using multiple phone numbers to demand a ransom of Sh 200,000 from the girl’s father, Benjamin Limasia, the Officer Commanding (OC) Malindi Prisons.
Unaware of the ongoing investigations, the father had already sent Sh 100,000 to secure his daughter’s release.
The suspect reportedly withdrew Sh 1,000 from an M-Pesa agent in the Maweni area, a move that enabled detectives to track and apprehend him.
Moments after the money was sent, the girl reappeared at her family home in the Silversands area of Malindi.
Her father swiftly reversed the remaining funds from the suspect’s account.
The teenager was immediately taken to Malindi Sub-County Hospital for medical examination.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the alleged victim may have conspired with the suspect to stage the abduction in a bid to extort money from her father.
Police have indicated that the girl has yet to be formally interviewed to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
The suspect is currently being held at Malindi Police Station as investigations continue.
[DNK-International@April 15,2026]
