Kidnapping suspects ‘hurt’ British couple

THREE suspects accused of kidnapping an elderly British couple in South Africa in a plot linked to Islamic jihadists now face charges of inflicting grievously bodily harm on the victims, state prosecutors said yesterday.

Rodney Saunders, 74, and his wife Rachel, 63, went missing on Feb 12 near the Bivane dam in the north of Kwazulu-natal province, reportedly after helping the BBC programme Gardeners’ World in the area.

Police recovered the Saunders’ stolen car in Durban, hundreds of miles from the site of the couple’s disappearance. A forensic investigation found blood in the vehicle, Adele Barnard, the state prosecutor, told Verulam magistrates’ court outside Durban.

The Hawks, South Africa’s special police unit, said the search for the couple was ongoing and appealed to the public for information.

“Currently, the search continues,” said Captain Lloyd Ramovha. “They haven’t been found as yet.”

Bibi Patel, 26, and Sayefudeen Del Vecchio, 38, two of the suspects, appeared in court for a bail application hearing, facing charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and contravention of South Africa’s anti-terrorism law for being in possession of an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) flag.

“The aggravating circumstances being the infliction of grievously bodily harm,” read a provisional charge sheet submitted to the court yesterday seen by The Daily Telegraph.

Del Vecchio faces further charges of having “unlawfully solicited and provided support for” Isil between 2015 and 2017.

Patel, wearing a black niqab and a black leather jacket over a long dress and trainers, stood looking straight ahead as the prosecutor spoke yesterday.

Thembamandla Xulu, 19, a third suspect, appeared next to them, facing charges of kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

In addition to kidnap, they are accused of stealing the Saunders’ car, cell phones, GPS unit and bank card. The hearing was postponed until Mar 6.