OFF MY CHEST: The day I was almost kidnapped

Walking alongside the car, I noticed that all four windows had been rolled down and there was a motherly-looking lady, (in her late 30s or early 40s) motioning to me frantically. ILLUSTRATION| IGAH

What you need to know:

  • She began shouting that she had lost her phone on the side of the street and she wanted me to assist her in looking for her missing phone.
  • We were opposite View Park Towers then. A voice inside told me to look behind, and when I did, I saw the bodyguard man charging at me.
  • I immediately took off running towards the roundabout, luckily I had seen him with some distance between us.
  • To share your own story, please E-mail: [email protected]

This is the story of how a young man escaped a kidnapper's trap as told to Thomas Rajula.

I went through a terrifying incident today on October 5, 2017 that I believe needs to get published but after consulting my folks, my Identity needs to be protected.

As I was walking to my Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at St Andrews PCEA Church, Nyerere Road, I was nearly abducted. The time was 12.15pm.

I was walking along Uhuru Highway on the stretch between GPO and University Way heading towards the Uhuru Highway/University Way roundabout.

A black car pulled up beside me, we were opposite the terraced Ethiopian restaurant by the highway.

VERY TALL MAN

A very tall and big man, who looked to me like a bodyguard or bouncer, got out of the car.

I thought that it was odd that anyone would alight at that section, it being a highway and there isn’t a designated drop off point around there, but I walked around him and kept on going.

I hadn’t really being paying attention until then, and further on I noticed two black cars ahead of the car that the ‘bodyguard’ came out of.

All of them were parked next to the curb, with the car that in the forefront parked at  an approximately 45 degree angle towards the curb.

I thought it was odd. Then I noticed that that first car, an off-road, had the hazard lights on.

Walking alongside the car, I noticed that all four windows had been rolled down and there was a motherly-looking lady, (in her late 30s or early 40s) motioning to me frantically.

MAN WAS CHARGING AT ME

She began shouting that she had lost her phone on the side of the street and she wanted me to assist her in looking for her missing phone.

We were opposite View Park Towers then. A voice inside told me to look behind, and when I did, I saw the bodyguard man charging at me.

I immediately took off running towards the roundabout, luckily I had seen him with some distance between us.

I got to the zebra-crossing where there were a lot of pedestrians and stopped there.

I waited for her car to pass by and had wanted to take a photo, but I decided to take her number plates instead seeing that it might have taken my phone time to set up the camera.

She had rolled up all four of the car windows, which were tinted but I could see her clearly frustrated, talking angrily on her phone. She avoided eye contact with me. When the traffic did move all the three black tinted cars disappeared together.

I thank God. God and God alone is who saved me from that terrifying predicament. I didn’t raise the alarm because Kenyans (I believe) are not very helpful in such situations.

I would like you to publish this to warn other young women and let them know that they need to be vigilant, especially walking along that stretch and at any time of the day.

These people knew what they were doing and it is chilling to know that they have probably done this before. The lady with the cell phone story was the bait.

The bodyguard man was the muscle. I don’t believe I was specifically a target because I don’t use that route when I go for my meetings, and it wasn’t even one of my regular days.

Since I have no idea who they are, I would like to protect my Identity but this story needs to be told. 

To share your own story, please E-mail: [email protected]