A Nairobi man, Brian Luseka Andole, is facing a jail term after being charged with providing false information to the police.
The charge stems from a false report that his wife, Mercylin Awour, had been abducted an alleged abduction that was later revealed to be part of a plot by Awour to escape her marriage.
The case, which unfolded at the Milimani Law Courts on Monday, November 18, 2024, has drawn attention not only for the false report but also for the motives behind it.
Andole appeared before Senior Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi, where he was accused of misleading the police about his wife’s whereabouts and initiating an unnecessary investigation.
The prosecution alleges that on November 9, 2024, at Kitusuru Police Post in Nairobi, Andole falsely informed Police Constable Joseph Ledama that his wife had gone missing, claiming she had been abducted.
This false report led PC Ledama to initiate a formal inquiry, recording the alleged disappearance in the police station’s Occurrence Book and setting the investigation into motion.
The prosecution argued that the actions of the accused were unnecessary and misleading, as the facts, if truthfully disclosed, would not have warranted the commencement of an official inquiry.
According to the police, Andole’s report resulted in the allocation of resources and police time to investigate a non-existent crime.
The prosecution emphasized that the false information provided by Andole diverted attention and resources from genuine cases requiring police intervention.
The situation took a dramatic turn when it was later revealed that Mercylin Awour had allegedly faked her abduction as part of an elaborate attempt to escape her marriage.
Investigations into her disappearance suggested that the woman had staged the entire event, possibly with the intention of leaving her husband without further notice or explanation.
While the details of the alleged scheme are still unclear, it is believed that the couple’s marriage may have been facing significant issues, which led to Awour’s decision to fabricate the story.
However, instead of an abduction, the prosecution suspect that she may have voluntarily disappeared and sought to mislead her husband and the police.
At the Milimani Law Courts, Andole pled guilty to the charge of providing false information.
His defense did not dispute the facts of the case, and Magistrate Ekhubi directed that the file be adjourned for the presentation of facts and sentencing
