A 59-year-old suspect is to appear before the Gqeberha New Law Court soon, facing allegations of kidnapping after he was arrested by the Gqeberha Serious Organised Crime Investigation team of the Hawks working with the Provincial Crime Intelligence (CI), Makanda K9 members on June 9.
According to Hawks spokesperson, Warrant-Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said his co-accused Mzoxolo Eric Grwayibana (38) was arrested on May 16 and later released on R3 000 bail on May 23 to re-appear on July 16 for further investigation.
He explained that on April 5, it is alleged that Lu Xian, a 31-year-old victim who is a foreign national was at his business in North End, 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,” said Mhlakuvana.
“Further allegations revealed that the suspects used the victim’s cell phone and called his mother demanding a ransom.”
Mhlakuvana further added that 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.
“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,” Mhlakuvana added.
Preliminary investigation established that the victim was allegedly transported to three different addresses in Gqeberha by the same Audi that was previously identified.
Mhlakuvana further added,” on April 11, the joint team traced the vehicles and found a Toyota Fortuner at a carwash in Gqeberha, where it was seized.
“An 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.
Mhlakuvana stated more arrests were imminent, leading to the arrest of a 59-year-old suspect on June 9.
He revealed that on June 4, a search warrant was executed at a suspect’s homestead in Motherwell. During the search, an Audi A4 was seized, allegedly used in the commission of a crime on that date.
“Information was received which led to the intelligence driven joint operation by the team on June 9,” said Mhlakuvana.
It is alleged that the suspect was seen in a VW Tiguan with his wife and two other family members around 16:30 in Fort Beaufort. The vehicle was pulled over about 3 km away from Fort Beaufort, and the suspect reportedly jumped out of the car in an attempt to evade arrest.
“He allegedly ran into the nearby bushes where he was later caught and apprehended,” said Mhlakuvana.
“There is a possibility that the suspect might be linked to another kidnapping of a Sonam Gajjar (34) on March 13 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.
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