Prime News Ghana

Ex-K'Poly student arrested for kidnapping 2 kids to "pay school fees"

By Maame Aba Afful
Former K'Poly student arrested after kidnapping 2 kids to
Former K'Poly student arrested after kidnapping 2 kids to "pay school fees"
Shares
facebook sharing button Share
twitter sharing button Tweet
email sharing button Email
sharethis sharing button Share

A 26-year-old former Kumasi Polytechnic student, now Kumasi Technical University, has confessed kidnapping two children to raise money to fund his education at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The suspect, Collins James Kodah, a native of Navrongo in the Upper East Region, was arrested at his Asante Akyem Agogo hideout with the two children he kidnapped from the KNUST Primary School on Friday.

He had earlier demanded a ransom from the parents before releasing the children who are aged 7 and 9.

However, a collaboration between police and telecom operator, MTN, led to the arrest of the suspect and subsequent release of the children.

The father of the children, Abraham Osei, who is a Lecturer lodged a complaint with the KNUST police after he could not trace them after school on Friday.

He was then issued with a police extract for announcements to be made on local radio stations.

The out-going Ashanti Regional Police Commander, COP Ken Yeboah said the suspect called Mr. Osei on Saturday to demand a GHS2,000 ransom before the release of his children.

"The following day, we liaised with MTN and because we have that collaboration with them, they were able to locate the kidnapper for us- that he was at Kumawu-Bodomase and we proceeded to Bodomase. We were informed that, the kidnapper and the kids came there and slept in a hotel overnight and the next morning, they left the place", he narrated.

"With the help of the mobile phone network operator which monitored the location of the suspect through his active mobile phone, police managed to arrest him in a hotel at Asante Akyem Agogo where he had served the children with drinks, the Commander added.

"We contacted MTN again and they were able to tell us they have moved to Agogo and the description that we had, we visited some hotels and then we were able to locate the kidnapper and the two kids. So we were able to rescue them", COP Yeboah added.

Kodah, who has been charged for kidnapping, first posed as an uncle to the children and claimed he was sending them to their mother. He later bought them new clothes and drinks.

Speaking on the motive behind the kidnapping to the Police after his arrest, Kodah, who graduated in Building Technology from the K'Poly in 2009, said he had gained admission into KNUST and wanted to raise money from the ransom to fund his education.

"The motive behind the kidnapping of the kids is that he wanted money. According to him, he got admission to the university last year but unfortunately because of financial difficulties, he could not go and so he needed money to start the process again", COP Ken Yeboah revealed.

Latest Ghana News