Two Women Arrested Over Kidnapping of 4-Year-Old Girl in Kaliro

The incident occurred on November 29, 2024, when the victim, who was offered a ride to school by her uncle, a boda-boda cyclist named Gasita, did not return home.

Police in Kaliro District have arrested two women in connection to the kidnapping of a four-year-old girl, a pupil at Bright Future Namukoge School.

The suspects, Mariam Namukobe, 27, from Namukoge village in Kaliro, and Irene Babita, a resident of Kiringa in Nawandala Subc-county, Iganga, were taken into custody as investigations continue.

The incident occurred on November 29, 2024, when the victim, who was offered a ride to school by her uncle, a boda-boda cyclist named Gasita, did not return home.

The child's grandmother, Edinansi Nakayima, reported the disappearance to the Kaliro Central Police Station.

The situation escalated when the family began receiving phone calls from unidentified individuals demanding a ransom of Shs3 million for the child's release.

Investigations revealed that Namukobe was involved in the abduction, admitting to receiving the child from Gasita and keeping her hidden in a nearby sugarcane plantation.

On December 1, 2024, Namukobe transferred the child to Babita's residence in Kiringa, where police later recovered the child.

Both suspects and the victim were taken to Kaliro Police Station for further questioning. A manhunt is underway for Gasita, the boda-boda cyclist, who remains at large.

Busoga North Regional Police Spokesperson, ASP Michael Kasadha, confirmed the arrests and stated that the investigation is ongoing to ensure that all individuals involved face justice.

Kasadha also revealed that Namukobe had a history of similar incidents, once faking her own abduction and demanding a ransom from her parents, which led to an earlier investigation.

The police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to help reduce the rising cases of child abduction in the region.