A 59-year-old suspect is to appear before the Gqeberha New Law Court soon, facing allegations of kidnapping. His appearance came after he was arrested by the Gqeberha Serious Organised Crime Investigation team of the Hawks working tirelessly with the Provincial Crime Intelligence (CI), Makanda K9 Unit members on 09 June 2024. His co-accused, Mzoxolo Eric Grwayibana (38), was arrested on 16 May 2024 and later released on R3000 bail on 23 May 2024 to re-appear on 16 July 2024 for further investigation.
On 05 April 2024, it is alleged that a 31-year-old victim, who is a foreign national, was in his business at North End in Gqeberha where he was accosted by unidentified suspects and was forced into an Opel Mokka. During the time, the victim was reportedly alone inside the business and was pointed with a firearm, then forcefully taken to unknown places by the kidnappers. Further allegations revealed that the suspects used the victim’s cell phone and called his mother demanding a ransom. The victim was reportedly kept by the suspects for few days and was found after six days of the incident at Kariega in the middle of the night. Further reports exposed that few days later a Toyota Fortuner and Audi were identified as the vehicles that were suspected to have been involved in the said kidnapping.
Preliminary investigation established that the victim was allegedly transported to three different addresses in Gqeberha by the same Audi that was previously identified.
On 11 April 2024, the joint team traced the vehicles and found a Toyota Fortuner at a certain carwash in Gqeberha and it was seized.
An intelligence driven investigation by the joint team revealed that the victim was kept in three different addresses in Gqeberha. Investigations led to the arrest of the suspect at one of the addresses. More arrests were imminent as intensive investigations were underway. Investigations further led to the arrest of this 59-year-old suspect on 9 June 2024.
It is alleged that on 04 June 2024 a search warrant was executed in the suspect’s homestead in Motherwell where an Audi A4 was seized for allegations of being used as instrumentality in the commission of crime on the aforesaid date.
Information was received which led to the intelligence driven joint operation by the team on 09 June 2024.It is alleged that the suspect was spotted in a VW Tiguan at about 16:30 in Fort Beaufort .The suspect was pulled over 3km away from Fort Beaufort where the suspect is reported to have jumped out of the car in an attempt to evade his arrest. He allegedly ran into the nearby bushes where was later caught and apprehended. Besides him in the car, was his wife and two other family members.
There is a possibility that the suspect might be linked to another kidnapping of a 34-year-old victim on 13 March 2024 at Kariega in front of her house but was later released unharmed two days after the horrific incident.
The suspect will make his first court appearance at Gqeberha New Law Magistrate’s Court soon as the investigations are under way.
The Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya appreciated the joint effort of the team in ensuring that the culprit is brought forward to face the mighty arm of Lady Justice.
