Mother and Daughter for Fake Kidnapping of 7-Year-Old Girl and Demand Ugx 5M in Ransom

Police have arrested a mother and her 20-year-old daughter for orchestrating a fake kidnapping of the mother’s 7-year-old daughter and demanding a ransom from her husband, the child’s father.

The pair staged the abduction, which led to a dramatic rescue operation and the discovery of the elaborate hoax.

Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson says on January 25, 2025, police in Nateete received a report about the alleged kidnapping of the young girl. The suspect, who initially claimed to have abducted the child, demanded a ransom of Shs 5,000,000 from the victim’s father. Concerned for his daughter’s safety, the father alerted the police.

Onyango says a team of intelligence officers and detectives quickly mobilized and tracked the suspect’s location to Kasenge Nakawuka, an area near the victim’s home. During the investigation, the suspect allowed the victim to speak with her father, and her terrified cries were heard over the phone, pleading for rescue. The girl claimed that her captors had threatened to kill her if the ransom was not paid.

However, as the investigation deepened, it was revealed that the suspect had been in communication with the victim’s mother before reaching out to the father. This led to a breakthrough in the case. According to Onyango, a swift search operation was conducted, and the child was found alive and unharmed near her mother’s workplace.

He says its then that the shocking truth emerged: the entire kidnapping was staged by the child’s own mother, Nagadya Teo, and her daughter, Namukwaya Winnie. Onyango explains that Using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the pair disguised their voices to make it appear as though a male kidnapper was demanding the ransom. This sophisticated use of technology was intended to mislead the authorities and the family.

Further investigation led to the recovery of a Tecno phone containing the sim card that had been used to contact the victim’s father. Both Nagadya Teo and Namukwaya Winnie were arrested, and charges are being brought against them for orchestrating the fake kidnapping. The police are also on the lookout for the individual who sold them the registered sim card used in the crime.

He assured the public that the suspects would face the full force of the law for their involvement in the elaborate hoax, he also stated that the 7 year old was found in good shape.