Most kidnappings of Ethiopians living and working in SA can be linked to a syndicate allegedly controlled by the six men who appeared in the Johannesburg magistrate’s court on Tuesday.
The six men, who cannot be named as the matter is subject to further investigations and is at a sensitive stage, are charged with kidnapping and robbery after they abducted an Ethiopian businessman in Johannesburg last month.
The six all abandoned bail, and their matter was postponed to March 31 for verification of addresses and the asylum status of two of the suspects, who are Ethiopian nationals.
The kidnapped victim was rescued in Mayfield, Ekurhuleni, on January 19 after he was allegedly kidnapped from his vehicle while leaving his business in Jeppe, Johannesburg, 12 days earlier. According to a source, his vehicle was found abandoned with the ignition still running after he was apparently forced off the road.
A police source said the group is possibly linked to 16 other kidnapping cases in and around Johannesburg.
Ahmed Ferede, a leader in the United Ethiopian Community Association in SA, told TimesLIVE Premium the six suspects, two Ethiopians and four South Africans, operate in a kidnapping syndicate that has been terrorising the Ethiopian community for the past five years.
“One of the suspects used to have a business around our area — the same area that victim was kidnapped. We know him and he has always been problematic. We just didn’t know he was linked to kidnappings until he was arrested,” said Ferede.
“The other guy does not have any businesses, but we know him and he has got into trouble with our Ethiopian community in the past. These are part of a syndicate that is responsible for 90% of the kidnappings in our community, and most of these kidnappings target businessmen. They are the kingpins,” said Ferede.
At the time of their arrest, police seized 20 cellphones and three GPS tracking units.
Police also seized five luxury vehicles, some of which are new:
- a Mercedes-Benz E350;
- a Mercedes-Benz A200;
- a 2023 Mini Cooper Countryman;
- a Toyota Urban Cruiser; and
- a BMW X4.
Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said a police contingent comprising various units, led by crime intelligence and organised crime members, had been conducting surveillance on the syndicate and had linked them to more than 16 cases of kidnappings in Gauteng, where ransom demands were being made.
Meanwhile, alleged transnational kidnapping kingpin Esmael Nangy’s bail application is expected to continue in the Tembisa magistrate’s court on Thursday.
Nangy, a Mozambican national, was arrested earlier this month in Centurion, Gauteng. He is believed to be part of a large Mozambican syndicate behind some of SA’s kidnapping and extortion cases.
This piece was written in collaboration with the Henry Nxumalo Foundation
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.