UNZA student arrested for staging own abduction, demanding K80,000 ransom from father

The Zambia Police Service has arrested a first-year medical student at the University of Zambia (UNZA) for allegedly staging his own kidnapping and demanding a ransom of K80,000 from his father.

According to the police, the reported abduction at Kafue Police Station involving 20-year-old suspect, Zakaria Haringa, was found to be a fabricated story.

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday, Police Public Relations Officer, Rae Hamoonga, stated that the suspect’s father, Steven Haringa, aged 41, of house number 3031 Kaseba Site and Service in Kafue, reported on Tuesday that his son, a first-year medical student at UNZA, had been allegedly abducted by unknown individuals.

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“According to Haringa, his son was lodging at a private boarding house near UNZA. On Friday, he attempted to contact his son, but his calls went unanswered,” Hamoonga narrated.

Hamoonga said on Tuesday, the suspect’s father received a phone call demanding K80,000 for the release of his son.

“The alleged abductors threatened to harm him if the money was not paid and sent a short video showing him being tortured,” he added.

He mentioned that a case docket was opened and the police launched an investigation in conjunction with the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA).

“The alleged abductors had promised to release the victim on Wednesday. Upon thorough investigation, today at around 12:00 hours, police apprehended the two suspects who played the role of abductors,” he pointed out.

Other suspects were identified as an 18-year-old male juvenile at an unnamed secondary school in Chongwe and a 17-year-old male juvenile of Chikonkoto Village, Chongwe, also a pupil at an unnamed secondary school in Chongwe.

Hamoonga said Zakaria Haringa orchestrated the plan to extort money from his father after squandering funds he had received through betting on his cellphone.

“The three individuals involved, Zakaria Haringa and two juveniles, are being investigated for giving false information and attempting to extort money,” he added.

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