Search underway for abducted 10-year-old in Kisoro

Local authorities in Kisoro have launched a search for 10-year-old John Mary Irankunda, the son of Moses Bakunzi Ninzeyimana, a 54-year-old teacher at Nsungwe Primary School and a resident of Kanyacucu Village, Busengo Parish, Nearbuye Sub County, Kisoro District.

Irankunda was reportedly abducted by an individual known only as Hakiza, a Congolese national, who has since made a ransom demand of Shs. 800,000. Elly Maate, the PRO for the Kigezi Region, disclosed that roughly a month and one week ago, the victim’s father hired Hakiza as a casual laborer at his home.

However, the situation took a dark turn on October 22, 2023, at around 10:00 hours when Hakiza mysteriously disappeared, taking young Irankunda with him. He also stole a mobile phone belonging to the complainant’s sister-in-law, phone number 0772566541.

Hakiza has used this phone since October 29, 2023, to make contact with the victim’s father, demanding a staggering ransom of Shs. 800,000 for the safe return of the child.

The suspect has provided a telephone number, 0789478927, for the complainant to send the ransom money. As of now, the whereabouts of the victim remain unknown, and the suspect remains at large.

Maate says the case was initially reported as a disappearance to the Busanza Police Post on October 24, 2023. It was only today, October 29, 2023, at 10:30 hours, that the complainant brought the matter to the attention of Kisoro Central Police Station (CPS).

The case file was retrieved, and the process of obtaining call data for the telephone numbers currently used by the suspect is underway.