The beginning of July 29, 2023 was typical for Mr. Henry Ng’ang’a Maina. But the filmmaker had no idea that one phone call would abruptly disrupt the calm of his life.
The female caller, who introduced herself as Ms. Margaret Wangui Kibathi, requested his services for a birthday celebration that would be held in Thika, Kiambu County, within the Landless area.
“After I arrived in Jomoko area, she told me that I should go to a building known as Classic located within Ngoingwa, where the host family resides. When I arrived there she was the one who ushered me and I also noticed that she was not a stranger to me,” Mr Maina narrated in an exclusive interview with Nairobi News.
Once inside, the so-called Ms. Wangui was with another woman who was busy in the kitchen preparing tea but who made no attempt to introduce herself.
Ms. Wangui asked the videographer to wait until her husband got there before they went to the location of the birthday celebration.
“I was served tea and after I took two sips I started feeling weak. My joints also became very weak. I cannot tell how I fell asleep,” Mr Maina recounted.
He claims that when he ultimately came to, he observed the woman fleeing with his suitcase. Though he was still incredibly weak, tired, and disoriented, he was unable to move.
A Cannon 80d camera, an 18-135 lens, a Techno Spark 8p cell phone, batteries, a charger, memory cards, and other work-related supplies were all contained inside Mr. Maina’s bag.
“The other woman also left and I was left all alone in the house. Moments later, a man walked into the house and found me,” he said.
The man presented himself as the building’s caretaker and stated that the home was an Airbnb that had been rented out for two days.
The keeper gave Mr. Maina the advice to get medical help before reporting the incident to the authorities.
The incident was reported to the Thika Police Station, where it was noted in the Occurrence Book (OB) under the number 114/29/6/2023.