Lentswe, Khuma - A 19 year-old man is safe after the police rescued him from the boot of a Toyota Camry after he was kidnapped.
Five suspects were arrested on charges of house robbery, kidnapping, extortion and unlawfull possession of firearms on Friday April 26.
According to Brig Sabata Mokgwabone, police spokesperson, the arrests stem from an incident where four armed males stormed a house at Ext 6, Khuma on April 25.
A multi-disciplinary team comprising of Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Detectives and Hostage Negotiators, Khuma Detectives, Provincial Crime Intelligence, Potchefstroom Flying Squad, District Illicit Mining Task Team, Klerksdorp Tactical Response Team (TRT) as well as Harmony Gold and BIU Security employees, cooperated in getting the suspects behind bars.
“They threatened the mother, then robbed her of R6 500 cash, and took her 19-year-old son’s cell phone. Then they ended up kidnapping the son. They put him in the boot of the family’s silver Toyota, which they also used to flee from the scene. Soon after the incident was reported to the police, the suspects used the son’s cell phone to call the family demanding ransom. With the involvement of hostage negotiators, a drop-off point was agreed upon after the suspects reduced the ransom amount. The team tactically kept an observation until a male was spotted walking from a panel beat workshop, then took the money and ran back,” said Mokgwabone.
“The team finally arrested two suspects and recovered the money and seized a silver Volkswagen GTI suspected to have been used during the commission of the crimes. Preliminary investigations led to the team to Ext 3, Alabama where two males got out of a white Toyota Camry and ran away when they saw the police. However, the team chased and apprehended the pair after one of them was shot on the leg. The kidnapping victim’s cell phone was discovered in the vehicle while he (the victim) was found unharmed in the boot of the Camry. The injured suspect was taken to hospital where he is under police guard.”
Investigations further led the team to a house at Ext 13, Kanana where two 9mm Glock pistols and a .38 special revolver, all with serial numbers filed off, were seized and a suspect was arrested for unlawful possession of firearms.
Moreover, the family’s Toyota Corolla was found abandoned near Rex Flats, at Ext 2, Jouberton.
The suspects; three Mozambicans and two South Africans, aged between 29 and 38, were expected to appear in the Stilfontein and Orkney Magistrates’ Courts this week.
The police are also verifying the legal status of Mozambican nationals in the country.
The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, lauded the team for working around the clock to arrest the suspects, reunite the kidnapping with the family and confiscate
illegal firearms that are often used to commit violent and serious crimes.
