Gauteng police rescue a kidnapped Pakistani businessman in Evaton, arresting four suspects, including two former Western Cape police officers.
Gauteng police successfully rescued a 55-year-old Pakistani kidnapped businessman, who had been taken from his home in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, in February. The victim was located in Evaton during a multi-agency intelligence operation, leading to the arrest of four suspects, including two former police officers from the Western Cape.
Kidnapping and Ransom Demand
The businessman was abducted by individuals posing as immigration officials, who lured him under false pretences to a police station. He never returned home, and shortly afterwards, his kidnappers demanded a ransom from his family. Following the report of his abduction, police launched an extensive investigation to track the perpetrators.
Intelligence-Led Rescue Operation
A multi-disciplinary law enforcement team, including members from National Crime Intelligence, the Hawks, the Soweto Flying Squad, and private security companies, led the operation. Authorities arrested a suspect in Killarney, Johannesburg, recovering an unlicensed firearm in the process.
The suspect then provided information leading officers to the businessman’s location in Evaton, where two more suspects were taken into custody. A fourth suspect was later apprehended in Benoni, and a vehicle used in the crime was seized.
Arrests and Legal Proceedings
The four suspects, comprising two South African nationals and two Pakistani nationals, are expected to appear before a Magistrates’ Court. Police investigations into the case continue, with authorities looking into possible links to other kidnapping incidents in South Africa.
A Growing Kidnapping Crisis
This case is the second major kidnapping rescue conducted by Gauteng police in less than a week. Earlier, authorities freed an Ethiopian businessman in a separate operation that resulted in a shootout, leaving one suspect dead.
With kidnappings on the rise in South Africa, law enforcement agencies are intensifying efforts to dismantle organized crime networks responsible for these abductions.
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