Erica Gachoka, the daughter of renowned media personality Ciku Muiruri, recently broke her silence after weeks of being rescued by detectives following her abduction along with her friend.
At the age of 26, Ms. Gachoka, and her companion Shanice Agose, aged 27, went missing on June 4 after attending a house party in the Westlands area of Nairobi.
After the party, Erica and Shanice utilized the Bolt taxi application to request a ride to Kilimani. However, upon entering the vehicle that arrived on Rhapta Road in Westlands, the driver threatened them with a hammer and abruptly sped off towards Thika.
For approximately a week, the two victims were held captive by their abductors who demanded a ransom of Sh250,000 from each of them in exchange for their release. Eventually, on June 11, they were rescued by authorities.
On Tuesday, July 4, Erica Gachoka expressed her thoughts and directed criticism towards Bolt for “creating an environment where perpetrators can easily find and target their victims.”
“Everything has been terribly disarrayed: kidnapping, shallow breaths, and life. But I am overwhelmed by all the love, care, and concern that I have received, both seen and unseen,” she wrote on her social media.
Erica further lambasted the taxi-hailing company, stating:
“Furthermore, I strongly condemn Bolt! Companies that provide or facilitate taxi services must prioritize the safety of their passengers. This could involve conducting comprehensive driver screenings beyond the initial registration, implementing check-ins using facial recognition or two-factor authentication for continued use, among other measures. I may not have all the answers, but it is imperative that more comprehensive efforts be made across the board. Even lawmakers should establish minimum safety regulations and standards for such companies to operate.”
She proceeded to tag Bolt Kenya in her post, urging them to improve their practices.
“@bolt_kenya, your responsibility is to transport customers safely to their destinations while benefiting financially. There must be a level of trust that needs to be upheld for this transaction to continue. Either enhance your services or step aside, because at the moment, you are merely facilitating an environment where perpetrators can easily find and target their victims,” Erica concluded.
