Two Indian nationals who were allegedly kidnapped shortly after arriving at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) have been rescued in an intelligence-led operation by detectives from the Operation Support Unit (OSU).
In a statement on Friday, August 14, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said three Pakistani nationals suspected of holding the two men hostage have been arrested following investigations that led detectives to a bungalow in Nkoroi, Kajiado South.
"The two victims, identified as Sandeep Sandeep and Ishwar Singh, arrived at JKIA on August 10, 2026, and were cleared through Immigration at about 2:50 pm," the statement read in part.
According to the DCI, the two Indian nationals left the airport shortly after completing immigration procedures and were met by two men who later travelled with them in a vehicle.
"Investigations established that shortly after being cleared, the two walked out of the airport and were received by two men. The four then boarded a white Nissan Note and drove away," the statement added.
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Detectives, acting on investigative leads, traced the victims and their captors to a residential property in Nkoroi, where a search of the premises led to the discovery of the two missing men.
"Working on crucial investigative leads, detectives trailed them to a bungalow within Tumaini Estate, Nkoroi, in Kajiado South, where a search of the premises yielded a breakthrough," the statement further read.
Inside one of the bedrooms, detectives found Sandeep and Singh bound by their hands and legs and visibly distressed. Three Pakistani nationals found at the house were immediately arrested.
The suspects were identified as Shahzad Haroon, Tariq Muhammad Muneeb and Hassan Waqar.
The DCI said investigations revealed that the suspects had allegedly contacted the victims' relatives in India and demanded money in exchange for their release.
"Investigations further established that the suspects had contacted the victims’ family members in India through WhatsApp and demanded a ransom of USD 32,000 for their release," the statement noted.
During the operation, detectives also recovered the victims' mobile phones, which had reportedly been hidden in a bush about two kilometres from the house.
The three suspects remain in custody as detectives process them for arraignment.
Investigators are also continuing to piece together the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping and pursuing further leads into what is suspected to be a wider kidnapping-for-ransom network.
Meanwhile, a 54-year-old Kenya Railways Corporation employee has been arrested in Changamwe, Mombasa County, following a two-year investigation into the alleged forgery and use of a fraudulent Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate.
In a statement, the DCI said the suspect, Awange Oscar Akoth, was arrested by detectives after investigations linked him to the alleged use of a forged academic certificate in connection with his employment at Kenya Railways Corporation.
"Awange Oscar Akoth was nabbed by detectives following investigations into the alleged forgery and use of a fraudulent KCSE certificate in connection with his employment at the Kenya Railways Corporation," the statement read.
According to DCI, the case emerged after Kenya Railways conducted an authentication exercise targeting academic and professional certificates submitted by its employees.
"The case came to light after Kenya Railways undertook an authentication exercise of academic and professional certificates presented by its employees," the statement added.
During the verification exercise, Akoth's KCSE certificate, which was purportedly issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), was flagged for further scrutiny. KNEC later confirmed that certificate number 624785, purportedly issued in 1993, was forged.
Detectives established that several grades on the certificate had allegedly been altered, with the changes affecting both individual subject grades and the overall mean grade.
Following the investigations, detectives forwarded the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for directions on the appropriate charges against the suspect.
"Upon reviewing the evidence, the ODPP directed that Akoth be charged with Uttering a False Document, contrary to Section 353 of the Penal Code, and Fraudulent Acquisition of Public Property, contrary to Section 45(1)(a) of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act (ACECA)," the statement noted.
The suspect is currently undergoing processing and is expected to be arraigned before the Milimani Law Courts to face the charges.
