Samson Tekklemichael’s abductors used car with fake number plates

The vehicle that missing Ethiopian businessman Samson Tekklemichael was bundled into has a fake number plate, the Nation has established.

When Mr Tekklemichael was abducted last Friday, two men bundled him into a waiting white Subaru station wagon, registration number KCD 445K.

The Nation did a quick search of the vehicle's registration number on the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) portal to identify the owner.

However, according to the NTSA database report, the vehicle that should bear the registration number KCD 445K is a white lorry/truck and not a white Subaru station wagon.

The fake number raises more questions than answers.

On Tuesday, Mr Tekklemichael's wife, Ms Milen Mezgebo, said the Ethiopian Embassy in Kenya had assured her that her husband was safe.

"They told me not to worry, that he is ok. They have been telling me that since Friday, but how should I stop worrying when I have not heard from him," she posed.

This emerged alongside unconfirmed reports that Mr Tekklemichael had been deported to his country.

But according to his wife, their family back in Ethiopia had not heard from or seen him.

According to Ms Mezgebo, her husband is a businessman who exports gas cylinders to Ethiopia.

She wondered why the abductors, who are believed to be police officers, never followed due process when making the arrest.

“If there is a problem, there is a law that should be followed. You take that person to court, and if they are not happy with the person, they should deport him, not abduct him," Mezgebo said.

The Interior ministry had not confirmed or denied claims that Mr Tekklemichael had been deported by the time of going to press.