Moti brothers: Another kidnapping threat ‘can make any parent flee’ – expert

The kidnapping of the four Moti brothers last year is still being investigated by the police – despite the family leaving for Dubai.

They have since interdicted the South African Police Service (Saps) from contacting the children.

Motis have closed ranks

Aged between six and 15 years, the children were reunited with their parents 21 days after they were abducted in Polokwane, Limpopo, last October while on the way to school.

The reason for the Moti family leaving the country is, however, not clear at this stage.

After an initial media blitz by the family when the brothers were kidnapped, the Motis have since closed ranks – leading to speculation they may have been threatened if they didn’t keep quiet.

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Fleeing the country is ‘understandable’

Professor Jaco Barkhuizen, head of the department of criminal justice at the University of Limpopo, said it was understandable why the family would go to Dubai.

“The fear of this happening again would make any parent to flee, trying to protect their children and not want them to go through the trauma again,” he said.

Barkhuizen said the way the case was handled, and – looking back at the allegations of police involvement – he would also not likely trust the police.

Barkhuizen said the kidnappers in South Africa were now following the Brazilian model where they are going after high net worth individuals.

“This will lead to more high net worth individuals leaving the country to protect themselves and their families,” he said.

Non-cooperation from Moti family

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the investigation into the kidnapping case involving the Moti brothers was continuing despite the process being destabilised by the non-cooperation from the family.

“Since the children were found last year, police investigators have been unable to obtain statements from the victims because their father opted to obtain the interdict against the police,” Netshiunda said.

He said the police were hopeful there will be cooperation from the family but have since learned that the family has relocated to Dubai.

‘Crime does pay’

Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee said the Moti family fleeing the country and shutting out the police of the negotiations created a perception that crime does pay.

He said police put in massive resources and millions of rands into the investigation when the children were kidnapped.

“It is unfortunate the police were shut out of the investigation, but that does not stop the police from investigating the matter,” he said.

Abramjee said he wouldn’t be surprised if this gang was involved with many other kidnappings.

“The fact that there was speculation of corrupt cops involved does not give the family the right not to cooperate with the police,” he said.

Mayfair kidnapping

Abramjee added it would be interesting to see if the parents would be charged with defeating the ends of justice for refusing the children to be interviewed.

“Let’s not forget we had an 11-year-old girl who was kidnapped in Mayfair last year and returned a few days ago and three arrests have been made already,” he said.

Abramjee said trauma was not a reason for the parents to keep the children from talking to the police.

“For police to have a successful arrest and conviction they need the victims to cooperate,” he said.

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