Boda boda operators have thwarted an attempted carjacking in Matungulu, Machakos County.
The riders saved a motorist who had been kidnapped by thugs along the Nairobi-Kangundo road in Malaa on Thursday.
Matungulu Assistant County Commissioner James Nyegenye said the taxi driver was drugged by the criminals in the botched robbery.
Nyegenye said the gang of four, three men and a woman unsuccessfully attempted to steal the taxi operator’s car before they were intercepted by the boda boda riders.
He said the thugs had hired the taxi from Nairobi pretending to be on a land-buying mission in Matungulu sub-county.
“They had boarded a taxi claiming that they were headed to view land in Matungulu only to drug the vehicle’s driver and tied him on a tree at Muting’a Village,” Nyegenye said.
He said the boda boda operators were alerted by a resident, a member of the Nyumba Kumi initiative in the area.
“The man signalled the boda boda operators after he discovered the victim tied to a tree; he saw the thugs speeding off,” Nyegenye said.
The gang was intercepted and overpowered by the mob after they attempted to escape.
They were whisked away by police officers after they were cornered and thoroughly beaten by agitated locals.
The thugs together with their victim were rushed to Kangundo Level 4 Hospital.
The four were later locked up at in a local police station.