The body of a bank manager was yesterday discovered in Maragua.

Murata sacco manager George Kamau was allegedly kidnapped from his home at Kiabugi village in Murang'a by four armed thugs dressed in police uniform.

Gikindu location chief Ronald Mwangi said the four, who were armed with AK47 rifles, raided Kamau's home at around 11:20pm.

They ordered him to open his door or they would kill his family.

Kamau obeyed and was whisked away in a saloon car.

The robber stole his vehicle.

"His family screamed for help but neighbors could not respond immediately because the thugs shot in the air several times to scare them," he added.

Kamau's body was found hours later with a gunshot wound on the head at Thunde quarry in Maragua.

Some of his fingers had been cut off and his car abandoned at the site.

Kamau's brother, Samuel Mwangi, said the thugs called his sister-in-law demanding a ransom.

"They ordered her to send them Sh50,000 within two hours or they would kill Kamau," he said.

However, sources in the security team said the thugs may have been hired by Kamau's business rivals to kill him.

"They could not have killed him before receiving the ransom," said the source.

Kamau's relatives blamed the police for his death.

"They took too long to respond after being informed about the kidnap," said one.