Four arrested for extortion, kidnapping of businessman

IN AN EXTORTION and kidnapping breakthrough, four suspects have been arrested after police located the victim at a residence in Langa this week.

Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said the work of members of the SAPS Special Task Force for Organised Crime investigators and Crime Intelligence resulted in the arrest of suspects following the kidnapping of a 31-yearold man on Tuesday.

“Unknown suspects entered a business premises on Tuesday at around 5.30pm in McClaren Drive in Dunoon, kidnapped a 31-year-old male and fled the scene in a Toyota Quantum.

“The suspects contacted the relatives demanding a ransom in exchange for the victim’s freedom,” Swartbooi said.

The investigating team pursued all information at their disposal to find the man.

“On Wednesday the team descended on a residence in Winnie Mandela Road in N2 Gateway, Langa, where they found the victim in the bedroom.

“Four suspects between the ages of 22 and 26 were arrested and detained,” Swartbooi said.

Once charged, the suspects are expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on charges of kidnapping and extortion.

Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile lauded the efforts and commitment of the investigators.

Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee welcomed the breakthrough, adding there had been dramatic increases in kidnapping for ransom over the past two to three years.

“It again shows that the police appear to be determined now finally to start breaking the backbone of these syndicates. These criminals that are now at work could possibly be smaller gangs the so-called ”copy cat gangs“that try to make a quick buck, they’re also targeting foreign shop keepers on an increasing level that has been going on for some time,” said Abramjee.

“Smaller gangs demand anything from R50 000 to R1 million, the bigger gangs go for big money. As we know, another Cape Town man is still missing after weeks of being kidnapped, so well done to the police on this particular breakthrough. Smaller gangs are just trying their luck and they’re getting more and more brazen and that is a worry,” he said.

Earlier this year a Bangladeshi shopkeeper was also snatched outside his store in Kalksteenfontein near Bishop Lavis but was saved, thanks to swift action by police.

Businessman Ismail Rajah was kidnapped outside his construction business in Parow around March this year. In July 2018, Foodprop Group founder Liyaqat Parker was kidnapped and returned to his family two months later.

In July 2017, Sadeck Zhaun Ahmed was snatched from outside his Salt River fabric business. Last year three brothers Zia, Zayyad, Alaan and Zidan Moti were kidnapped on their way to school in Polokwane.

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It again shows that the police appear to be determined now finally to start breaking the backbone of these syndicates

YUSUF ABRAMJEE Anti-crime activist