Matric couple arrested for faking kidnapping and demanding R1m ransom

Mpumalanga police have arrested a young couple for faking a kidnapping and demanding a R1-million ransom.

The lovers, who are in matric and who are both aged 20, are expected to appear in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on Monday for defeating the ends of justice.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said in a statement on Friday: “Information at police’s disposal revealed that on October 10, 2019, a case of kidnapping was opened at Bushbuckridge police station, where one of the suspects, a 20-year-old Grade 12 learner was reported missing.

“After a missing person’s report was filed with the police, it is reported that her mother then received a cellphone message demanding the above-mentioned ransom.”

Further investigation led police to the discovery that the boyfriend – whom it is alleged colluded with the girlfriend – used a different sim card in her cellphone to send the message to her mother.

On Thursday, police received information that the couple were seen together after the claimed disappearance.

“They were both found at the house of the boyfriend’s friend and were arrested.

“The sim card used to send the message was also found in the possession of the boyfriend,” Hlathi said,

Police warned members of the public to refrain from reporting false cases, saying that the repercussions were serious.

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