Ladysmith KZN: 7 arrested after 60-year-old is kidnapped and found murdered

A 60-year-old man was kidnapped by a group of unknown suspects from his house at St Chad’s Mission on Sunday (January 24).

According to information given to the police, he was kidnapped by people who were looking for stolen stock.

A family member contacted Ladysmith SAPS and reported the incident. A docket for kidnapping was then opened and registered at Ladysmith police station.

The docket was assigned to Detective/Constable SG Mabaso from the Ladysmith Detective Service. The investigating officer (Det/Const Mabaso) followed up on leads and brought in seven suspects for questioning. The suspects are aged between 22 and 46 from places like Roosboom, St Chad’s and Ezakheni.

The interrogation led to information being obtained regarding the whereabouts of the victim. A team was immediately organised and Det/Const Mabaso requested assistance from other SAPS units (including Ladysmith TRT and Ladysmith K9) to go out and follow up on the info received from the suspects.

The officers went to the Emachibini area of Umhlumayo, where they discovered the naked body of a deceased male. He was found with multiple injuries and it is suspected that he was also strangled. It is not clear whether he was murdered somewhere else and then dumped in the Umhlumayo area.

The investigation is ongoing and there is a possibility of more arrests being made soon.

The vehicle that is suspected to have been used during the commission of the crime has been identified by police. The suspects – three females and four males – were arrested.

uThukela Acting District Commissioner, Brigadier ZO Kunene, applauded the police officers who acted swiftly and attended to the complaint when members of the community reported it.

She also thanked the community for their bravery in reporting the suspicious activities promptly.

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