A professional assistant nurse from Ngangelizwe Clinic in Mthatha, Ntsika Tyali (38) briefly appeared before Engcobo Magistrate’s Court facing allegations of kidnapping on July 19. His case was postponed until Thursday, July 25, for a formal bail application.
He is remanded in custody.
According to Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, further investigations still ongoing on the matter and more arrests are imminent.
Mhlakuvana said that he was arrested by the Mthatha based Serious Organized Crime Investigation in a joint effort with the Mthatha K9 and Madeira SAPS Vispol members on July 17.
“It is alleged that on June 6, two victims were reportedly accosted by an unidentified armed suspects who barged into their homestead at Engcobo and pointed firearms at them.
“Further allegations revealed that the victims were forced into an unknown vehicle and later on, ransom was demanded by the suspects,” said Mhlakuvana.
He added that during the said incident, the suspects reportedly took the victim’s bank card and pin numbers where they allegedly withdrew cash in tranches and purchased expensive clothing from various retail stores, as a result the victims suffered a loss of over R1,5 million.
Mhlakuvana said that due to the pressure exerted upon the suspects by the investigating team, the victims were released a couple of days later.
“During preliminary investigation, it was established that the accused divided the cash among themselves. Through intensive investigation the joint team spotted one of the suspects who were suspected to have been involved in the said kidnapping incident driving his white Volkswagen Polo. Subsequently, the police stopped the vehicle and Tyali reportedly attempted to evade the arrest but did not succeed and consequent to that he was arrested on the spot.”
