By Everson Luhanga
- Police arrested four suspects and rescued a Pakistani businessman kidnapped in Graaff-Reinet last month.
- Another kidnapping case was cracked days earlier, with police rescuing an Ethiopian businessman and arresting five suspects after a shootout.
Gauteng police rescued a 55-year-old Pakistani businessman and arrested four suspects in a kidnapping case after an intelligence-led operation on Thursday, 13 March. The suspects—two South Africans and two Pakistanis—were arrested at different locations.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Amanda van Wyk said detectives also seized an illegal firearm and a vehicle during the operation.
According to Van Wyk, the businessman was kidnapped in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, last month by a group posing as immigration officials.
“The victim allegedly accompanied these individuals to the nearest police station, but never returned home. The victim’s family subsequently reported the kidnapping to the police after the kidnappers had allegedly demanded a ransom for the release of the victim.”
Intelligence efforts led a special team, including National Crime Intelligence, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), the Soweto Flying Squad and private security, to a kidnapper in Killarney, Johannesburg.
“An unlicensed firearm was also seized. This suspect led the team to the location of the victim in Evaton, where two more kidnappers were arrested,” Van Wyk said.
A fourth suspect was arrested in Benoni, and police confiscated a vehicle used in the crime.
The suspects will appear in court soon as investigations continue.
This was the second kidnapping case solved by Gauteng police within days.
On Monday, police rescued an Ethiopian businessman kidnapped outside a restaurant in Norwood on Sunday, 9 March. Authorities tracked him to a house in Kensington, Johannesburg. A shootout followed, leaving one kidnapper dead and five others arrested.
Police seized vehicles and recovered some of the victim’s stolen luxury watches and jewellery.
Pictured above: Chains.
Image source: X
