The police in Nateete have detained a mother on suspicion of orchestrating a fake kidnapping of her seven-year-old daughter to extort a ransom of sh5,000,000 from the girl’s father.
Teo Nagadya (mother) was taken into custody along with her 20-year-old daughter, Winnie Namukwaya, who is believed to have been involved in the conspiracy with her.
Reports indicate that on January 26, 2025, police were alerted to the supposed abduction of a 7-year-old girl.
In a statement issued today (January 28, 2025) from Patrick Onyango, spokesperson for the Kampala Metropolitan area, a specialized team of intelligence officers and detectives was quickly mobilized to find and rescue the child.
The investigation team tracked the suspect’s whereabouts to Kasenge Nakawuka, close to the victim’s residence.
“After tracking the suspect’s location to Kasenge Nakawuka, near the victim’s home, the team received a call from the suspect, who allowed the victim to speak with her father,” he added.
Onyango said during the conversation, the victim was heard pleading for help and claiming her captors had threatened her life.
Further inquiries revealed that the suspect had been in communication with the girl’s mother prior to the call to the father.
Onyango reported that a search operation led to the discovery of the child, who was found safe and sound near her mother’s workplace.
In a shocking twist, it was revealed that the kidnapping was a ruse devised by the mother, Nagadya, and her 20-year-old daughter, Namukwaya.
They allegedly employed artificial intelligence technology to alter their voices, creating the illusion that a man was demanding the ransom.
Onyango said a Tecno phone, which contained the SIM card used to contact the father, was recovered during the investigation.
Onyango confirmed that both the mother and daughter are in custody as inquiries continue, and efforts are underway to locate the individual who sold them the registered SIM card.
