Two Alex men, aged 24 and 35 charged with kidnapping and extortion, were granted bail of R2 000 by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court and will reappear in court after further investigation is concluded.
The suspects were alleged to have kidnapped a married woman and demanded a ransom of R3 000 and a car from her husband. The court heard that the victim of 2nd Avenue arrived at her home at 9.30pm on 13 February to find no one present and the house locked. She then proceeded to another house on 1st Avenue where she expected to get her house keys. As she passed a white VW vehicle parked on the roadside, a familiar voice called her by her married surname. When she got close to the vehicle, two occupants allegedly pulled her inside the car, blindfolded and gagged her and drove off to an unknown location.
She alleged that they also took her cellphone after it registered a message from her husband inquiring of her whereabouts. The kidnappers were said to have messaged their two demands to the husband through her cellphone. She claimed they kept her for three days, but did not assault her.
At 8.20pm on 15 February, one kidnapper who was guarding her alone, left the shack where they were hiding her with the door open and her cellphone inside. This enabled her to escape and, in the process, she realised the shack was near her home.
She came across a police vehicle with her husband inside searching for her and reported the accused to the police. The men were arrested.
The investigation continues.
