A man arrested last week in connection with the kidnapping of Nelson Mandela Bay biokineticist Riana Pretorius has two pending cases of robbery against him.
Xolisile Rawutini, 40, appeared in the Gqeberha magistrate’s court for a second time on Friday after his March 16 arrest shortly after Pretorius was abducted outside her place of employment in Newtown Park.
Rawutini is expected to bring a formal bail application on April 5.
After a week of negotiations with her kidnappers, Pretorius, 26, was released unharmed at 2am on Friday.
She was dropped off at a garage in Struandale.
On Friday, defence attorney for Rawutini, Bond Nyoka, confirmed his client has two pending cases of business robbery against him in Kariega and Despatch, with one involving a firearm.
He was arrested last week and provisionally charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition after he was apprehended when the white Toyota Corolla he was a passenger in stopped in Old Grahamstown Road after a high-speed police chase.
Two other suspects in the vehicle managed to evade arrest and are still at large.
A second person was arrested and later released after it was discovered police had the wrong man.
Nyoka is also representing Rawutini in the Kariega matter.
He is expected back in the Kariega magistrate's court on April 12 when his R1,000 bail is likely to be forfeited.
It is understood additional charges of kidnapping and conspiracy will be added to his charge sheet when he appears again in the Gqeberha magistrate’s court.
Prosecutor Benedict Wilson told the court on Friday that as Rawutini had pending cases against him his offence would be changed from schedule five to six.
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