Reliable sources said several people had been questioned and later released
Amidst fears that he may have been kidnapped, police spokesman Vishnu Naidoo said Uwe Gemballa, 54, disappeared under mysterious circumstances soon after he flew into South Africa from Dubai almost two weeks ago.
"He was only supposed to be in South Africa for three days for a business meeting," said Naidoo.
"He arrived at OR Tambo on Monday, February 8 and phoned his wife. He disappeared on Tuesday, during either the day or the night."
Naidoo said no suspects had been identified in connection with Gemballa's disappearance.
But reliable sources with knowledge of the investigation said several people had been questioned and later released.
It is believed Gemballa had travelled to South Africa to negotiate the opening of a branch of his world-renowned Gemballa Porsche Conversions.
A leading German motoring website, GTs pirit.com, claimed o n Friday that Gemballa had phoned his wife soon after arriving in South Africa and asked her "to wire a million-euro ransom to a certain bank account".
"It's unclear if Uwe was lured to South Africa in an attempt to kidnap him or if he was at the wrong place at the wrong time," said GTspirit.com.
According to the website, Gemballa, who has been doing his conversions to Porsches for almost three decades, has built up a huge following. People who own his exclusive cars include Arab royalty, movie stars and mega-rich businessmen.
His company has branches in Australia, Europe and the US. Only 25 of his latest cars, the jet fighter-inspired Gemballa Mig-U1, a customised Ferrari Enzo, will be manufactured, according to his company's official website.
Sources with knowledge of the incident say police are investigating the possibility that a fugitive businessman from the Czech Republic, who is believed to be in South Africa, might be linked to his disappearance.
Radio Prague reported i n 2005 that the High Court in Johannesburg had turned down an application for the man's extradition . The billionaire businessman has already been sentenced in absentia in the Czech Republic to six-and-a-half years' jail for tax fraud.
He is facing charges for a variety of other crimes, including conspiracy to murder, counterfeiting, extortion and abduction.
shrott