Siblings arrested in fake missing person inquiry

02 August 2024 - 07:56 By TimesLIVE
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The siblings allegedly tried to bribe a detective when the "missing" sister's boyfriend was detained. File photo.
The siblings allegedly tried to bribe a detective when the "missing" sister's boyfriend was detained. File photo.
Image: 123RF

Police have arrested two siblings for allegedly trying to extort R24,000 from family members by staging a fake kidnapping for ransom in Garankuwa.

A sister was falsely reported as missing last month with the collusion of her boyfriend, the Hawks alleged.

The siblings, aged 39 and 32, were arrested in a sting operation.

Hawks spokesperson Capt Lloyd Ramovha said Garankuwa police became suspicious when the boyfriend's version did not hold up under questioning.

"Investigations uncovered the missing person report was false.

"The trio allegedly colluded and staged a kidnapping incident to extort R24,000 from family members for the safe release of their ‘kidnapped’ sibling."

The ploy unravelled further when the boyfriend, a foreigner, was arrested and detained for allegedly being in the country illegally

The siblings came to his aid and allegedly offered to pay a detective R10,000 to derail the case.

The Hawks’ serious corruption crime unit investigators were alerted and the siblings were arrested on Monday after they paid the money, Ramovha said.

The case was partially heard in the Pretoria magistrate's court on Wednesday, but postponed until Tuesday for a bail application.

The "missing" sibling is yet to return home.

TimesLIVE


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