Kidnapping of foreign businessmen on the rise

A FOREIGN businessman has been kidnapped, raising concerns by the Bangladesh Indian Pakistani Committee that a syndicate is targeting foreigners because of their perceived wealth.

There has been a spate of kidnappings since last year, with the abductors demanding ransoms of up to R50 million. The Bangladesh High Commission has now teamed with SAPS and the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) to formalise a plan to tackle the issue.

The latest victim, Bangladeshi national Hoosain Nahid, was abducted shortly after closing his restaurant, Al Zam Zam, on the Golden Highway in Lenasia South on Sunday night.

Lenasia South police spokesperson Sergeant Khalipha Mvula said as Nahid got into his vehicle, five armed men pulled him out of his bakkie and forced him into their Toyota Quantum.

“The men fled the scene heading in the direction of Vlakfontein. The motive for the kidnapping is unclear at this stage. Police are investigating.”

Co-ordinator for the committee, Hanif Loonat, said they believed a syndicate which started targeting businessmen in the Western Cape was now targeting businessmen in other provinces.

“In the last three years in the Western Cape, we have had almost 30 cases of kidnapping, with the abductors demanding up to R50m from families. It was getting out of hand so we teamed up with the Bangladesh High Commission and SAPS to set up a task team to work only on the kidnappings.”

Loonat said the task team managed to work swiftly to locate the men who went missing and arrest the culprits.

“In order to curb this type of crime we need to mobilise as a country...”

Warisur Rahman from the Bangladesh High Commission said the department was aware of the crimes against the businessmen.

“We are very concerned about what is happening and we are working with police and Dirco to address the issue.”

Apart from Nahid, in September last year Bangladeshi businessman Mahabub Rahman was abducted in a car park at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

He was missing for a week and his kidnappers demanded R4m in ransom. However, police managed to track the suspects down. They were arrested and Rahman was returned safely to his family.

Also in September, Nazrul Islam, another Bangladeshi businessman, was kidnapped outside his shop in Cape Town. The kidnappers demanded R800 000 for his release. He was found by police.

In November, Mustapha Goolam, 38, was kidnapped outside his shop, Food Town, in Lotus River, Cape Town.

His abductors contacted his relatives demanding R10m. Police managed to track down the kidnappers and arrested them in Khayelitsha.