Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
The police have recently arrested two young men who are suspected of kidnapping young women for ransom in the Ekounou neighborhood located in Yaounde. The two suspects, paraded before the press on Tuesday, February 4th, were found with ropes, a dagger, six mobile phones, Viagra pills, SIM cards, essential oils, perfumes, and documents relating to mobile money transactions.
According to Major Henri Danzabe, Head of Criminal Investigation and the Fight Against Organised Crime at the First Gendarmerie Region, the two suspects are notorious for operating in Douala and Yaoundé. They would lure victims into their trap through expressions of love or business propositions and kidnap them. They usually undressed, tied up, and filmed their victims before using the footage to extort money from their families.
According to the investigations, these suspects had been operating in Douala, extorting 950,000 FCFA from two families, while in Yaoundé, they extorted 400,000 FCFA from the family of their latest victim Tatang Edith. One of the suspects claimed Tatang Edith was romantically involved with him, and the kidnapping was arranged to demand money from her family.
Major Danzabe warned families against paying any ransom, cautioning the public, especially married women, to be vigilant. He called on citizens to report any suspicious activities to security forces.
