No bail for four accused of kidnapping mom, baby

23 January 2015 - 13:32 By Penelope Mashego
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Handcuffs and a gavel. File photo.
Handcuffs and a gavel. File photo.
Image: Gallo Images/Thinkstock

Two of the Zimbabwean men accused of holding a woman and her baby for ransom are in the country illegally and another has been convicted of crimes six times in the past.

The Randburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday told the four accused men they would remain in custody.

Wailer Ndlovu, Thulani Nyathi, Nkosinathi Nyathi and Emmanuel Sibanda were charged with kidnapping, extortion and child abuse after their arrest earlier this month.

The court heard that the men allegedly kidnapped the woman and her eight-month-old baby because she could not pay them R1800 for transport from Musina to Brits. It is alleged that they had initially charged her R300 but later demanded a further R1 500.

When she said she had no more money they allegedly took her to a room in Diepsloot where they kept her and her child locked up for a few days.

They allegedly called the baby's father and asked for payment but he went to the police. He set up a meeting with the men under the guise of paying them but instead they were arrested.

Ndlovu and Thulani Nyathi applied for bail yesterday while Sibanda and Nkosinathi Nyathi could not apply for bail because they had entered the country illegally.

In opposing bail, prosecutor Dinesh Nandkissor revealed that there was a pending arrest warrant for Ndlovu dating from 2012.

He also said Ndlovu's previous convictions showed that he seemed “to be a person who has a propensity to commit offences”.

Ndlovu was convicted six times between 2002 and 2011 for crimes include theft, possession of unlicensed ammunition, contravening the Customs and Exiles Act and aiding and abetting illegal foreigners to enter South Africa, Nandkissor said.

Magistrate Vincent Pienaar denied both men bail and postponed the case until next month for further investigation.

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