A 34-year-old suspect was arrested on Thursday after he allegedly kidnapped a family of four in Kuils River, Cape Town, and demanded a ransom of R400,000.
Hawks spokesperson W/O Zinzi Hani said the kidnapping occurred on August 24. The victims were rescued the next day by a multidisciplinary anti-kidnapping task team and other policing agencies.
“It is reported the four victims, all family members, left Kuils River in a vehicle. They were on their way to Helderstroom Prison in Caledon, where the father works as a prison,” said Hani
“Preliminary investigation revealed the vehicle they were driving was later found abandoned in Endlovini, Khayelitsha.”
The kidnappers demanded a ransom R100,000 per person from the family’s brother and instructed him to not involve the police.
“The four hostages were released at about 4.30am on August 25. A police vehicle from Philippi East saw the hostages and gave them a lift to Kuils River police station,” said Hani.
The suspect is alleged to be a member of a syndicate responsible for another kidnapping in the Western Cape.
Hani said more arrests are imminent.
The suspect is expected to make his first court appearance on September 9.
TimesLIVE
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