South Africa: Zimbabwean Truck Driver Kidnapped, Ransom Of R50K Demanded
A Zimbabwean truck driver who was kidnapped on the 15th of December this year in Mpumalanga has been rescued by police in Komatipoort.
The 42-year-old was kidnapped by two suspects aged 25 and 28 who demanded a ransom of R50 000 to be deposited by his (driver’s) employer.
The duo was arrested on Friday, IOL reported citing Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala. He is quoted as saying:
The truck driver from the country of Zimbabwe was kidnapped on Thursday 15 December 2022, at around 3am near Lebombo border in Komatipoort.
According to the report, the victim was kidnapped by armed suspects under the railway bridge in Komatipoort as he returned to the truck he was driving after buying some food.
It is said that he was taken by his assailants at gunpoint into the bushes. It is further indicated that the suspects demanded a ransom of R50 000 to be deposited by his (driver’s) employer.
Mohlala said various military and law enforcement stakeholders, hostage negotiators, as well as the driver’s employer, mobilised resources in order to ensure that the victim was brought back alive.
The suspects contacted a colleague as well as the victim’s employer and further made some demands.
The victim was traced and found as well as the two suspects were cornered and apprehended.
During their arrest, authorities found an air gun, four mobile phones, a large sum of an undisclosed amount of cash and two knives in the possession of the two suspects.
The two were charged with kidnapping as well as possession of suspected stolen properties and they are expected to appear at the Komatipoort Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 19 December 2022.
Mohlala said police cannot rule out the possibility that the two could have been involved in the previous kidnapping incident where another truck driver went through a similar ordeal last week.
