French woman kidnapped in Kenyan resort
An elderly French woman was kidnapped early on Saturday by suspected pirates from her house in Ras Kitau, Manda Island in Kenya's coastal town of Lamu.
The incident comes barely a few weeks after a British woman, Judith Tebett, was kidnapped and her husband killed.
According to eye witnesses, a group of ten suspected pirates, who were using a fibre boat, anchored near her house and four of them remained as the rest went for her at around midnight.
A local resident, Ali Mohammed, claimed the men almost shot at the woman's Maasai man friend, identified as John, but he managed to escape and reported the incident to the police, who have now launched a search for the kidnappers.
The French woman has been identified as Maghe, and is said to have been living at their house in Manda for the last 25 years, together with her man friend, who takes care of her, since she cannot conduct any duties on her own.
According to locals from the area, which borders Shela Island, the woman, who is crippled and uses a wheelchair, was whisked from her home in the early hours of the morning and taken to a speed boat which the suspected pirates were using.
Police sources confirmed that already, her security guard has been arrested and is being interrogated by the police in connection to the kidnapping.
The Lamu police chief Samson Ole Kinne confirmed the incident and said they were investigating the matter.
Ali said the woman may have been taken to the Kenya-Somalia border, at Kiengoni area.
Mombasa police chief Ambrose Munyasia, confirmed that they had mounted a search for the woman, with the Kenya Navy and other police trying to chase after the suspected pirates.
Locals have raised concerns over the security lapse in the area, noting that Judith Tebett is yet to be found and is believed that she is being held in Somalia, after her husband David was killed.
Editor: Yamei Wang
English.news.cn 2011-10-01 14:34:20 FeedbackPrintRSS
MOMBASA, Kenya, Oct. 1 (Xinhua)
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