Cape Town - Two more victims have come forward following the arrest of three suspects in Woodstock accused of kidnapping and robbing their Grindr dates.
Mlungisi Mbutu, 37, Bongani Zulu, 36 and Zwelakhe Ngwenya, 25 are accused of luring three victims they catfished on the gay dating app, only to kidnap, rob and assault them.
The Hawks had closed in on the suspects after they abducted a 50-year-old man on June 14 who was subsequently rescued.
Hawks spokesperson, Zinzi Hani, said analysis of suspicious banking activity and money transfer patterns by the suspects at various banks led them to the suspects.
Prior to that incident, on June 11, the suspects allegedly robbed a gay man whom they tied up and forced to demand money from his relative. They got away with R3 000. Authorities yesterday confirmed that another complainant came forward, as the three accused, who are originally from Soweto, appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court for kidnapping, extortion and robbery with aggravated circumstances.
The accused are all represented by a private lawyer.
State prosecutor Luzaan Williams said they were in possession of the bail information but were not sure if Mbutu was using his real name.
“The State has received two further matters of kidnapping, three extortion charges and robbery with aggravated circumstances.
“The investigating team has been inundated with more complaints after an arrest was made. The State is in the process of investigating the matters so a provisional charge sheet has been drafted. The State will oppose bail for all three accused,” Williams said.
When the defence asked about the reason for the opposition to bail, Williams said the accused were flight risks and highlighted the seriousness of the matter.
“There would be a public outcry should they be released,” Williams said.
According to the bail information, Mbutu has no pending matters, convictions or warrants.
“We are not sure if this is his real name on the charge sheet but his fingerprints were taken.
“Accused 2 (Zulu) has a pending matter of kidnapping and extortion in Johannesburg while accused 3 (Ngwenya) also is in the same matter as accused 2,” Williams said. Ngwenya and Zulu were out on bail when these crimes were committed.
While confirming his address, Ngwenya said that he lived with his girlfriend and their children in Moroka, Soweto.
“The same modus operandi in Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal are being followed up to see if they are linked to those matters as this week the investigators were inundated with other complainants,” the prosecutor said. The case was postponed for bail application and an IsiZulu interpreter to July 3.
Cape Argus