Police confirm kidnapping kingpin Charloos statement is fake

The South African Police Services (SAPS) has confirmed to The Citizen that a media statement purportedly from a senior ranking officer providing details on kidnapping kingpin Faizal Charloos is a complete fake.

The fake media statement is being widely circulated on social media.

The fake statement claims that Mozambican national Charloos who has been linked to a number of kidnapping incidents was granted bail.

“Charloos, who according to court documents and his wife Saadiya were granted R8 million bail,” the fake statement read.

The fake statement by police also claims that the Hawks are offering a R1 000 000 reward for information that can lead to other charges and prosecution of Charloos.

It is unclear who wrote or issued the statement, but police spokesperson Dimakatso Sello told The Citizen, the statement is a fake.

“Good morning. I did not issue that statement. I do not even comment on kidnappings at my level. Kidnappings are communicated at National Level. Kindly indicate where this was posted”

According to a source, Charloos and his co-accused are yet to appear in the Protea Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The Mozambican businessman was arrested by police last month along with five other suspects, including his wife Saadiya.

During the police raids on houses in Lenasia, Lawley, Brackenhurst and Benoni, which are allegedly linked to Charloos and three of his alleged accomplices, police rescued kidnapped Gauteng businessman, 34-year-old Luqman Kazi.

Charloos and Sadyia previously appeared in the Protea regional court in Soweto in connection with two other kidnappings.

There have been calls for bail to be denied to the Mozambican kidnapping mastermind.

A person close to the investigation told The Citizen, on condition of anonymity, that granting bail to Charloos would be a mistake.

“If he is out on bail he might interfere with investigators or get rid of evidence and we know there is a number of things still coming up, cases as far back as 2008 and big discoveries on cases in 2016 and 2017.”

The source also said that Charloos is prone to intimidating individuals, including journalists and officials.

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