Nigerian businessman rescued after kidnapping ordeal

A Nigerian businessman has been rescued by the South African Police Service’s (Saps) anti-kidnapping task team.

The 48-year-old man was kidnapped in Fordsburg, Johannesburg, on Wednesday.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said police officers traced the victim and suspects to a lodge in Ferndale, Randburg, on Thursday evening.

“Six vehicles used by the suspects have been seized and impounded for further investigation. Money that was allegedly withdrawn from the businessman’s bank account has also been recovered.”

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Friends rescued

On Wednesday, four friends were safely reunited with their families after they were kidnapped by a group of men posing as law enforcement officers in Mpumalanga.

It is understood the friends were travelling between Standerton and Trichardt on Monday evening when they were stopped by a group of men driving in a white VW Polo fitted with blue lights.

Mathe said the four men were kidnapped and kept captive while the suspects withdrew large sums of money from their bank accounts.

Warning

She said the matter was reported to the Saps and the anti-kidnapping task team traced the friends within 48 hours to a house in Vosloorus in Gauteng.

“The SAPS has since launched a manhunt for a group of three to four suspects who have been involved in similar incidents where motorists were stopped by a group of men driving in a ford range bakkie or a white polo fitted with blue lights.

“These incidents happened in a space of a week in Nelspruit, Hazyview and Standerton. In the other two incidents, families were also held captive and large sums of money was also withdrawn from their accounts,” Mathe said.

Mathe has urged the public to be extra vigilant in an event where they suspect that they are being stopped by criminals posing as fake police officers.

In the last two years, the anti-kidnapping task team has arrested at least 300 suspects, where victims were kidnapped for ransom payments.

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