Tembe and Mondlane were arrested on November 7 2019 in the parking lot of a mall in Honeydew in the West Rand after leaving a gym. Their arrests led to police storming the Mpumalanga house where they arrested Ndlovu and Radebe.
An investigation by the Sunday Times revealed that Tembe and Mondlane were the kingpins behind two of South Africa's biggest kidnapping gangs. Another two people, known as Amelka and Chris and who were known to Mondlane, were also involved in the planning.
Witness Gen Gopal Govender, who led a team responsible for rescuing Munsamy earlier testified that Amelka was a notorious criminal wanted for a string of offences in SA and Mozambique and enjoyed an unrivalled status for being able to cross borders (illegally).
Sonnekus said Ndlovu told him his co-accused Radebe had called, telling him about a one-month contract he had for him, for which he would be paid R15,000.
Despite the money offered, Ndlovu hadn't received it at the time of his arrest.
While Radebe pleaded guilty to the kidnapping charge, the state did not accept it as it was inconsistent with evidence in the indictment.
Sonnekus said the unemployed Ndlovu travelled to Witbank where he met Radebe, who took him to a brown house where Munsamy was being held captive. Once they were at the Wattle Road property, Radebe told him he was guarding a person who owed his boss money.
Ndlovu did not venture inside the room where Munsamy was kept.
He said Radebe often asked him to help with household chores which included washing and cleaning.
“Ndlovu said Radebe had told him Munsamy had a chain and he would often see him entering a room where she was kept and had a small key,” said Sonnekus.
The trial continues.
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Details emerge of kidnappers who held Munsamy hostage for six months
Investigating officer took warning statements from accused
A policeman who was assigned to take the statements of four men accused of kidnapping Durban businesswoman Sandra Munsamy shared details from their initial statements in the Durban high court on Wednesday.
Former Hawks investigating officer W/O Abraham Sonnekus said he took warning statements from Lucas John Ndlovu, Dumisani Radebe, Jose Omega Tembe and Arthur Mondlane shortly after their arrests in November 2019.
The men, who are charged with kidnapping, also face charges of extortion, robbery with aggravated circumstances and entering the country without a valid permit.
Munsamy, the CFO of the Xmoor Transport family business empire, was held hostage for 162 days in a house in Witbank, Mpumalanga, while her captors waited for her family to pay their $10m (R180.7m) ransom demand.
“When I asked Omega if he knew about this case he agreed he would make a confession to another officer, W/O RM Govender, and tell his story,” said Sonnekus.
Mondlane told Sonnekus he had known Tembe for nine years and confirmed he was in Durban on May 30 when Munsamy was kidnapped. Mondlane was also the owner of the Mercedes-Benz C63 with a Gauteng registration which was used by Tembe on May 30 during the kidnapping.
Tembe and Mondlane were arrested on November 7 2019 in the parking lot of a mall in Honeydew in the West Rand after leaving a gym. Their arrests led to police storming the Mpumalanga house where they arrested Ndlovu and Radebe.
An investigation by the Sunday Times revealed that Tembe and Mondlane were the kingpins behind two of South Africa's biggest kidnapping gangs. Another two people, known as Amelka and Chris and who were known to Mondlane, were also involved in the planning.
Witness Gen Gopal Govender, who led a team responsible for rescuing Munsamy earlier testified that Amelka was a notorious criminal wanted for a string of offences in SA and Mozambique and enjoyed an unrivalled status for being able to cross borders (illegally).
Sonnekus said Ndlovu told him his co-accused Radebe had called, telling him about a one-month contract he had for him, for which he would be paid R15,000.
Despite the money offered, Ndlovu hadn't received it at the time of his arrest.
While Radebe pleaded guilty to the kidnapping charge, the state did not accept it as it was inconsistent with evidence in the indictment.
Sonnekus said the unemployed Ndlovu travelled to Witbank where he met Radebe, who took him to a brown house where Munsamy was being held captive. Once they were at the Wattle Road property, Radebe told him he was guarding a person who owed his boss money.
Ndlovu did not venture inside the room where Munsamy was kept.
He said Radebe often asked him to help with household chores which included washing and cleaning.
“Ndlovu said Radebe had told him Munsamy had a chain and he would often see him entering a room where she was kept and had a small key,” said Sonnekus.
The trial continues.
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