Suspect arrested after kidnapped Mpumalanga girl found alive

Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Nelspruit Mpumalanga arrested a suspect in connection to the kidnapping of a young girl on Tuesday, 15 March.

According to a statement released by SAPS, the 19-year-old girl was found at a fuel station in Pretoria, she was reportedly blindfolded and repeatedly raped by the suspect.

Police had been searching for the girl and received information about her whereabouts, which led them to a 31-year-old suspect who was apprehended at Enkangala.

Kidnapping incident

The incident took place around 3am on Tuesday, when the 19-year-old victim and four ladies were travelling back home from a function when they noticed a car following them.

It is alleged that the victim called her mother to let her know about the suspicious vehicle that was following them.

It is reported the driver of the car who is the alleged suspect flicked the lights on his vehicle, but the group of women ignored him.

When they arrived home in Kwamhlanga, they were shocked to see a man alighting from a silver/grey Toyota legend 50 pouncing on them holding a firearm.

They had thought the car stopped trailing them.

The car had no number plate registration.

ALSO READ: Girl kidnapped outside Mayfair school found alive

According to the report, the mother of the victim came out of the house to find the ladies held at gun point, the suspect was accusing them of stealing some items from his liquor outlet.

The mother then decided to go back to the house to look for a torch so that she could help search for the items the man was looking for in their vehicle as it was dark.

When she reportedly returned from the house, she was shocked to see the bakkie driving away with her daughter.

It then dawned on her that the man orchestrated the story as a cover up to kidnap her daughter.

It is alleged the community attempted to chase the car but their efforts were futile.

The incident was reported to the police at Kwamhlanga and a kidnapping case was opened.

The victim was dropped off in the early hours of Wednesday, 16 March at Menlyn in Pretoria, she was found at a fuel station and she reiterated her ordeal to the police.

Additional charges of rape and assault was added to the kidnapping charge.

The suspect is detained pending investigations.

ALSO READ: Two kidnapped victims rescued after high-speed chase