Two men 20 and 37 years of age were arrested by Mthatha police including CIG, DPCI, NIU and TRT at Lower Ngqwarha loc in Mqanduli today at about 10h00. These suspects were arrested after they allegedly kidnapped a prominent 24-year-old businessman whilst opening his home gate on Monday 13th May at about 21h30.
It is further alleged that the suspects drove the victim’s vehicle which was recovered abandoned on Tuesday near Marhambeni loc in Mthatha. The suspects demanded a ransom of thousands rands from his family for his release. It is after an intensive investigation and negotiations by police that today at about 10h00 the money should be taken to the suspects. The suspects fired some shots towards police who retaliated and one suspect a foreign national estimated to 35-years-old was fatally wounded whilst the other two suspects, one also a foreign national led police to a house in Tyumbu where they kept the victim. The victim was found alive and later taken to hospital in a stable condition. The suspects will appear before Mthatha Magistrate Court soon facing charges of kidnapping and extortion.
The Acting Cluster Commander Brigadier Mandlakhe Twala applauded these members and said “The past week was difficult to us knowing that there’s someone’s life that is so dependent on us but through your skills and determination we managed to save that life. I also would like to thank the community of Ngqwarha for assisting us in chasing the suspects. Together we can win this crime.”
