Durban: Almost three years after Durban businesswoman Sandra Munsamy was brazenly kidnapped while returning home from her work, the trial of her alleged kidnappers is underway in the Durban High Court.
The trial, which kicked off on Monday, will continue until March 25.
The accused, Lucas John Ndlovu, 36, Dumisani Radebe, 39, Jose Omega Tembe,38, and Arthur Da Silva Mondlane, 36, have not pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, attempted extortion and contravention of the Immigration Act.
They are accused of kidnapping Munsamy, 46, the Financial Manager of Crossmoor Transport and XMoor Transport, on May 30, 2019, near Stapleton Road on the M13 Highway.
They are further accused of forcing Munsamy out of her black Range Rover and into another vehicle at gunpoint.
She was thereafter transported to Wattle Street in Witbank and remained captive until November 7, 2019.
According to the State indictment, Crossmoor Transport and XMoor Transport are multi-million Rand business concerns and are forerunners in the transportation, construction, mining and logistics industry in South Africa.
The prominence of the family members and the success of the businesses was well known.
The State alleged that prior to the kidnapping, Radebe, Tembe and Mondlane identified Crossmoor Transport as a wealthy business from whom they could extort money.
They then planned and conspired with each other to kidnap a prominent family member associated with the business, hold that person hostage and demand ransom from the members of the business.
They allegedly gathered intelligence and kept surveillance on the business and family members, and finally identified the complainant as the most suitable victim to kidnap.
The State will further argue that the accused got the assistance of a group of males in KwaZulu Natal who would physically accost the complainant, deprive her of her liberty and belongings and hand her over them.
On 30 May 2019, the complainant left her place of employment some time after 5pm, and as she drove onto the M13 on-ramp from Stapleton Road, her path of travel was blocked by a white BMW from which three men alighted armed with firearms.
Radebe, Tembe and Mondlane were also present at the scene in order to oversee the kidnapping of the complainant.
Munsamy was allegedly forced out of her vehicle, and at gunpoint, they took her cellphone and handbag before placing her in the boot of the car.
Shortly after the kidnapping, the accused is alleged to have made contact with Inderan Naicker, Munsamy’s brother and director of Crossmoor Transport, and demanded the sum of 10 million U.S dollars for the safe return of his sister.
The State alleged that, at times, Munsamy participated in these communications.
The State will argue that at all material times the accused continued to contact Inderan demanding the payment of the ransom in order to ensure the complainant’s safety, freedom and safe return.
IOL