Missionary stages own kidnap to get Shs70 million ransom
Police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga
MASAKA- A Liberian missionary who has been working in Masaka District is being investigated over allegations that that he staged his own kidnap with the intention of fleecing money from his employers.
Mr Taulus Zanto, 20, is missionary volunteer at the Church of Jesus Christ at Nyendo, Masaka town.
Preliminary police investigations indicate that Zanto and his accomplice committed the offense on January 2 in Nyendo, where he resides.
According to Mr Walter Chatora, the national mission president of the Church of Jesus Christ church, he received a phone call from the “kidnappers” demanding a ransom of $20,000 (Shs74 million) to release Mr Zanto and if the money was not raised, they would kill him.
Mr Chatora said he alerted police which launched a hunt for Mr Zanto and his kidnappers.
By tracking the phone the “kidnappers” were using, police managed to get Mr Zanto in a hideout in Nyendo.
Police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga said that police have arrested Mr Zanto’s former workmate, a one John Makumbi, who allegedly connived with the missionary to stage the kidnap.
In the episode, Mr Makumbi acted as a kidnapper.
He said the suspects would be charged with conspiracy, giving false information and demanding money by menaces; if investigations into the matter are complete.
In the last couple of years, police recorded similar fake kidnap cases and several suspects who faked own kidnaps for ransom, were arrested in various parts of the country.
However, in some incidents, real kidnappers have killed their victims.
