School kids arrested for faking kidnapping, demanding ransom from family

A 20-year-old pupil was yesterday, Saturday 11 March 2023 arrested together with his friend, aged 24, for allegedly faking a kidnapping and demanding R7000 ransom from his family.

Fake kidnapping

According to a statement issued by police, the 20-year-old pupil left his home on Friday morning in Lusaka in Dennilton as though he was heading to school which is about 3 kilometres from his home. 

Police say his mother became worried when he didn’t return home as usual and informed her husband when he returned from work. 

The husband told police that he was also surprised because he said he received several messages from his son’s number indicating that he must call him but when he called back, he didn’t answer.

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“The couple then enquired about their son’s whereabouts from his classmates who confirmed that he didn’t attend classes on Friday and they never saw him. Later in the evening at about 20:15, an unknown person called the family using the supposed victim’s number and demanded R7000.00, threatening to kill the victim if they failed to comply.”

Police uncover the truth

The family immediately reported to the police and a case of kidnapping was opened. 

According to the police, immediate action was taken by deploying a special team that included the SAPS hostage negotiators, for a thorough investigation and possible arrest of the culprits. 

The team’s investigation revealed that the victim was in Tafelkop under the Motetema policing area.

Police further explained that the team made observations at various homesteads in Tafelkop and the supposed suspect arrived at the scene and he led the team to where the victim was. 

The victim was taken in, along with his 24-year-old accomplice, for questioning. 

The duo was arrested after they confessed to having conspired and faked the kidnapping in order to get the money from the family.

Provincial Commissioner of police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe strongly condemned the incident.

“We are at times receiving reports of kidnapping and are obliged to act immediately by mobilizing resources as the safety of victims could be at stake. False reports put a lot of strain on police resources which could have been directed to deal with real incidents of crime and to victims who desperately needed police assistance,”  said Lieutenant General Hadebe in a statement.

The two suspects will appear before the Mdutjana Magistrate’s Court in Siyabuswa on Monday 13 March 2023 facing a charge of conspiracy to commit fraud and utterly.

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