The woman behind the contentious Ksh17 billion oil consignment, oil tycoon Anne Njeri Njoroge, described her experience shortly after making a statement at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.
Speaking after being freed by President William Ruto’s administration, Njoroge revealed that she was abandoned in a wilderness after her kidnappers cleared her of all charges.
She claimed that her situation started as soon as she went to the Energy Petroleum and Regulatory Authority (EPRA) to apply for permits in order to follow the proper procedures for importing the 100,000 metric tonnes of oil.
Shortly after, she found herself entangled in what she claimed was a meticulously planned kidnapping. Njoroge was supposedly told to record a statement in another room nearby, but when he got there, he discovered it was a basement.
“I told the authorities that I had not taken any drugs when they asked. I followed their instructions to turn in my phone and divulge the password when they led me to a car. They led me to an unidentified location. When I questioned them about why I wasn’t with my lawyers, they said nothing.
Another automobile is said to have pulled up shortly after, and Njoroge was blindfolded before being driven elsewhere. This time, she was restrained to a room and had a balaclava pulled over her head, exposing only her eyes.
Njoroge stated that she became aware that she was being closely watched by uniformed security personnel. A CCTV camera and a mattress were also present in the room.
Njoroge claims that she slept that night believing it to be her last day. Her kidnappers opened the room the next day, started questioning her, and threatened to kill her if she revealed the truth about the consignment.
“I was honest with them and stated that I was the consignment’s owner. After leaving the room, the cops returned a few hours later to tell me that, as I had done nothing wrong, I would be released.
She said, “I was blindfolded and thrown out into a forest,” but she did not say where exactly.
