Durban: Two suspects are expected to make their first appearance in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday charged with the alleged kidnapping of a Reservoir Hills businessman.
According to police, the businessman’s wife sensed her husband was in trouble when he failed to return home by 10:30pm on March 4.
Police said when the wife tried to call her husband, the phone was taken from him by an unknown male who demanded a ransom of R1 million so that the victim would be released.
“Charges of kidnapping and extortion were opened for investigation at Westville SAPS,” said police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala.
Gwala said a task team was activated by the Westville station commander to search for the victim and the suspects.
“Police were later informed that the victim managed to escape and found his way to the Taylors Halt SAPS.”
She said more information emerged that the victim was held at a house at KwaDindi in Taylors Halt after he was kidnapped from his business premises in Reservoir Hills, and cash was taken by the suspects from the premises.
“It is alleged that while he was held captive, the suspects withdrew more cash from his credit card.”
The suspects, aged 27 and 32, face charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, kidnapping as well as extortion.
Meanwhile, the kidnapping trial of Sandra Munsamy is currently underway in the Durban High Court.
Munsamy was kidnapped in 2019, and her family was asked to pay $10million (about R153.7 million) for her return.
Munsamy, 46, the Financial Manager of Crossmoor Transport and XMoor Transport, was brazenly kidnapped on May 30, 2019, near Stapleton Road on the M13 Highway.
She was thereafter transported to Wattle Street in Witbank and remained captive until November 7, 2019.
The four men accused of kidnapping her have pleaded not guilty.
The trial is ongoing.
IOL