Detectives are investigating the killing of a 75-year-old man whose body was found dumped in a thicket in Juja, Kiambu County, following an alleged abduction in Thika Town. The discovery has raised alarm over a suspected ransom-related crime targeting elderly businesspeople in the area.
Police identified the victim as Stephen Gitonga Gacheru, a businessman who operated in the Kamenu area of Thika Town. Investigators said unknown suspects abducted him from a parking yard in Thika on January 22, 2026, under circumstances that remain unclear. Witnesses at the parking yard did not immediately raise an alarm, giving the suspects time to flee with the victim.
On January 23, 2026, residents in Mugutha area of Juja discovered Gacheru’s body hidden in a nearby thicket and alerted the authorities. Officers who arrived at the scene observed visible injuries on the body. Police said the injuries suggested that attackers clobbered the victim, although forensic examinations will determine the exact cause of death.
Investigators linked the killing to a suspected ransom demand made shortly after the abduction. Police said the abductors used the victim’s mobile phone to contact family members while holding him captive. This tactic, officers noted, aimed to convince the family that Gacheru was still alive and pressure them into sending money.
Gacheru’s son told police that he received a phone call from someone he believed was his father. During the call, the caller requested Sh20,000, claiming it was urgently needed to resolve an emergency. Trusting the call, the son sent the money through mobile transfer. Shortly after, he attempted to confirm whether the money had reached his father, but his calls failed to go through.
The family grew increasingly concerned after Gacheru’s wife and daughter reported receiving similar calls demanding money. According to police, the callers issued threats and warned that harm would follow if the family failed to cooperate. Fearing for Gacheru’s safety, the family reported the matter to police immediately.
Officers launched a pursuit operation after receiving the report. Detectives tracked the suspects’ movements from Thika Town toward Machakos County before following new leads back to Juja. The operation continued throughout Thursday night as officers worked to locate the abductors and rescue the victim.
Police called off the operation at around 3 am without making any arrests. Hours later, residents discovered Gacheru’s body, leading investigators to believe that the suspects killed him before abandoning the body in Juja.
The killing has shocked residents in Thika and Juja, with many expressing concern over rising cases of abductions linked to ransom demands. Community leaders have urged police to intensify patrols and dismantle criminal networks targeting vulnerable individuals.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have taken over the case. Officers are analysing call records, mobile money transactions, and possible CCTV footage from Thika, Machakos, and Juja to identify the suspects. Police have appealed to the public to share any information that could assist the investigation, assuring residents that they will pursue the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
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