Police investigating the alleged abduction of Thika businessman Julius Gitau now say that the incident did not take place.
According to the police, a review of CCTV footage from the alleged scene of the crime on the day Gitau claims to have been abducted by six gunmen did not reveal such incident.
Gitau, a well-known wholesale trader in Thika town, went missing on September 21. A ‘suicide note’ was found on his vehicle’s dashboard.
Thika West Deputy County Commander Mathioya Mbogo told Nation that Gitau’s car was not even at the scene where he claimed to have been abducted.
The investigating officers have now summoned the 44 year old to record an official statement on what exactly happened on the day he went missing.
“I instructed the relevant department of our security committee to expedite review of the CCTV cameras in the area and the result was a negative incident of interest between 9:30 and 10 a.m, being the time cited as when the abduction occurred, ” said Mbogo.
Read: “I Was Held Hostage For 11 Weeks, Served As A Domestic Worker, ” Thika Millionaire Tells Police
“Not even his vehicle which he claims was the centre of abduction is captured on that road the whole day.”
The officer said the only odd thing that was captured on surveillance cameras that day at around 11:28 am was a male motorist’s altercation with a boda boda rider after a close shave.
The incident caused a minor traffic jam that cleared after the two sped off.
“I do not want to appear to be dismissing his story about his broad daylight encounter with six armed kidnappers on a Thika busy street…I do not also want to appear to be in a tussle with him, where he says he was kidnapped, and on the strength of CCTV footages review whose findings dismiss his claim. He was not kidnapped. The best way forward is for him to record an official report so that he can help us investigate the matter,” added Mbogo.
Read Also: Missing Thika Millionare Julius Gitau Found Alive – Police
Also, guards around the alleged scene of crime near Kenya Revenue Authority offices as well as outside Blue Post Hotel in Thika said they could not have missed such a dramatic incident as narrated by Gitau.
Police intend to grill Gitau to find out if he stage-managed his disappearance and whether the incident had anything to do with poor business and debts.
Sleuths are also looking into claims that the businessman attempted to bail himself out of the cash crunch using proceeds from his rental houses as well as an alleged plot to manipulate his Ksh46 million insurance cover.
Read Also: New Twist In Disappearance Of Thika Businessman As Mother Reveals Last Moments
If police find out that the businessman lied about his disappearance, he is likely to be charged with giving false information to the police and spreading public fear and despondency.
When Gitau resurfaced last week after missing for 75 days, he told police that he was being held at Kamwangi town in Gatundu North constituency adding that he came to know of the place only after his release.
“I was made to wash clothes and utensils for the tenants. Once in a while, I was ordered to clean the compound,” Gitau told the police.
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