How flying squad arrested Liberian for faking kidnap

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | Details have emerged on how Flying Squad Unit –FSU successfully tracked, arrested a Liberian national, Taulus Zanto, over faking a kidnap and demanding USD 20,000.

Just two days into the New Year, Zanto’s colleague also president of national mission, Walter Chatora, rushed to Masaka police division alleging that the former had been kidnapped by a group of unknown people and were demanding a ransom.

Police asked Chatora to explain whether he had any idea of who had kidnapped Zanto but he insisted he knew nothing about it. Chatora could not tell whether it was a car used to kidnap Zanto or he was grabbed from the streets.

Zanto and Chatora both worked at Church of Jesus Christ located at Nyendo Municipality, Masaka district. Chatora explained when he had last seen Zanto, the alleged victim had left Church less than three hours earlier. Chatora was shocked to receive a call demanding for ransom at around 11 pm.

Flying Squad Unit based at Masaka, quickly started tracing for the routes Zanto used while leaving the church. In addition, police applied advanced technologies to track signals of Zanto’s phone including that used to call Chatora demanding for 74 million shillings ransom.

Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, said upon conducting assessment with tracking devices, police suspected it was a possible case of self-kidnap. Indeed, police’s doubts were nothing else but truth. Zanto was found hiding at his friend’s home John Makumbi in Nyendo.

Police zeroed at Makumbi after it was established that the duo had been seen together hours earlier. Zanto had in the last hours had called Makumbi. There was no any other person to be regarded as first suspect other than Makumbi.

Chatora, 54, according to police had no idea of what was happening to Zanto. He told police that he does not know what could have triggered Zanto to fake a kidnap in order to get money from him.

Zanto and Makumbi will be arraigned in Masaka court to face charges of kidnap, fraud and attempting to get money by false pretence.

Four months ago, a man was arrested for faking his kidnap and demanding a 10 million shillings ransom from his wife in Kabalagala in Kampala.

FSU arrested Bruno Tayebwa, a resident of Kabalagala, in the outskirts of Kampala after he had called his wife, Evas Ainomugisha, claiming he had been kidnapped by four people travelling in a saloon car.

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