A 40-year-old suspect has been arrested in Manenberg, Western Cape, following a meticulous investigation by Libode detectives into the alleged kidnapping, robbery, and money laundering of a 30-year-old man who had reportedly benefited from RAF payouts.
Police reports indicate that the victim was abducted from his home in Ngolo, Libode, on 12 April 2026 by four unknown men. He was taken to a nearby forest in Gotyibeni, where he was tortured to force him to reveal his banking app password(s). Funds were withdrawn from his bank account, and a separate amount was transferred to the suspect’s bank account.
The investigating team conducted thorough detective work, which led them to the Western Cape, where they apprehended the 40-year-old suspect at his second residential address in Manenberg. The suspect’s bank account—into which R800,000 had been transferred from the victim’s account—has since been frozen by the bank.
Investigations remain at an advanced stage, with efforts ongoing to arrest the remaining suspects.
The arrested suspect made his first appearance before the Libode Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 25 May 2026, on charges of kidnapping, robbery, and money laundering. The case was postponed to Monday, 1 June 2026, for a formal bail hearing.
OR Tambo District Commissioner, Major General Norman Modishana, praised the Libode detectives for their tireless work and urged them to leave no stone unturned in bringing all those involved to justice.
