Man arrested for kidnapping two children needed money to pay fees

A 37-year-old man has been arrested by the police in the Ashanti Region for allegedly kidnapping two pupils of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Primary School on Friday.

The suspect, Collins James Koday, was arrested in a hotel at Asante-Akyem-Agogo where he was holding the victims.

The suspect is said to have posed as an uncle of the children; aged 7 and 9, and claimed he was taking them to their mother.

He later called the father of the children, Abraham Osei, a lecturer at KNUST and demanded a GH¢2000 ransom from him.

Confirming the arrest, the Ashanti Regional commander, COP Ken Yeboah said it took the intervention of the police and telecom operator, MTN, to track and arrest the suspect.

According to COP Yeboah, following the call made by the suspect to the children’s father, the police liaised with MTN to help locate the kidnapper.

He said the suspect was located at Kumawu-Bodomase; however, on arrival, the police was informed that the suspect, who lodged in a hotel with the children overnight, had left the place.

He said because the suspect’s mobile phone was active; MTN tracked and located him in a hotel at Asante-Akyem-Agogo.

Upon interrogation, the suspect, who is a graduate in Building Technology from the Kumasi Technical University, told the police that he kidnapped the children because he needed the money to fund his education at the KNUST.