DURBAN businesswoman Sandra Munsamy described her kidnapping during her testimony before the Durban High Court yesterday.
Munsamy, financial manager of Crossmoor Transport and XMoor Transport, was kidnapped on May 30, 2019 while she was driving on the M13 on-ramp from Stapleton Road around 5pm.
Munsamy was kept for months in Emahlahleni, Mpumalanga, until she was rescued on November 7, 2019, and the accused were arrested by the police.
Yesterday she resumed her testimony in the trial of the four men who have been charged with her kidnapping.
The accused, Lucas John Ndlovu, 36, Dumisani Radebe, 39, Jose Omega Tembe, 38, and Arthur Da Silva Mondlane, 36, have pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and attempted extortion.
Mondlane and Tembe are Mozambican nationals and are charged for remaining in the country without a valid permit in contravention of the Immigration Act.
IOL reported earlier this week that the State alleged that before the kidnapping the accused identified Crossmoor Transport as a wealthy business from which they could extort money. They then planned and conspired with one another to kidnap a prominent family member associated with the business, hold that person hostage and demand ransom from members of the business.
The State alleges that the suspects demanded a ransom payment of $10 million in the exchange for Munsamy’s release.
During the second day of her testimony yesterday, via audio-visual link, the court heard how Munsamy injured her leg during the kidnapping.
She said the accused had forced her into the boot of their BMW and repeatedly banged the lid of the boot on her leg as it would not close.
Munsamy said they then moved her to the back seat of the BMW, where, blindfolded, she sat with the other suspects.
She said her leg was badly injured and this had resulted in blood clots, which are still evident.
In addition to the scarring on her leg, she also had pains and had gone for trauma counselling.
Munsamy said the kidnappers looked after her well but kept her chained by her ankle. She was only released briefly when she had a bath.
“They treated me very well. When I got home, I realised why they treated me well. They wanted the money,” she said.
Munsamy described how the accused would bring her a phone so she could speak with the “Boss” via a WhatsApp call.
The case is set to resume today. The men remain in custody.
THE MERCURY