Abducted two-year-old reunited with family

Police in Rakai are investigating circumstances under which unknown people kidnapped a two-year-old girl from her parent's home in Lwamaggwa trading centre and later asked for a ransom sh4.5m ransom.

The girl identified as Favour Mulungi Wanyana is the couple's third child. She went missing on Tuesday at around 5PM.

Her parents Mike Ssewanyana, a wholesale shop attendant and Sylvia Nabukenya, a mobile money agent, said they received a call from the abductors asking for a ransom of in order to return their daughter.

Ssewanyana added that the abductors told him to deposit the money on mobile number 0701165601 under the names of Martin Kiwanuka which they did.

They later reported the matter to Lwamaggwa Police Station where the case was recorded under case file CRB: 06/20/11/2018.

The abductors eventually abandoned Wanyana in Kalisizo town council, Kyotera district.

Ben Nuwamanya, the Rakai District Police Commander said it was unfortunate that the parents deposited the money before reporting the matter to Police.

He said that such abductions are usually executed through connivance.

"This is not the first case and in some abduction cases there is connivance either with some family members or friends. But we are following some important leads," he explained.

He further appealed to parents and guardians to be vigilant because similar cases may happen ahead of the festive season.

Although cases of abduction in Greater Masaka region are not common, a few that have happened have left families counting loses.

In May, a 17-year-old girl from Kingo village in Kalungu district was reportedly kidnapped by unknown men in Kampala.

The victim was eventually identified as Rosemary Nakisekka, a shop attendant in Rubaga, Kampala.

Her father Fred Kasagga said the kidnappers used her phone to call him demanded sh5m ransom.

They ordered him to deposit the money on the victim's number that very day. They further warned that they would kill Nakisekka if the family failed to comply.

According to Deo Muwanga, the victim's uncle, the kidnappers switched off the phone, making it difficult to connect with the kidnappers for negotiations.

The family failed to raise the ransom money within one day and although they reported the case at Central Police Station in Kampala and at Masaka Regional Police, they never succeeded in finding Nakisekka.

They family later managed to raise the sh5m and she was released.