Kidnappers want R10m for businessman's safe return

Businessman Mustapha Goolam was abducted outside his store Food Town in Lotus River. Picture: Supplied

Businessman Mustapha Goolam was abducted outside his store Food Town in Lotus River. Picture: Supplied

Published Dec 6, 2016

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Cape Town - Another Cape Town businessman has been abducted.

Now police have formed a crack squad to find out if a syndicate is targeting foreign businessmen for their money.

Hours after a Bangladeshi shop owner was snatched outside his shop on Sunday night, his kidnappers demanded R11 million ransom for his safe return.

Police say Mustapha Goolam, 38, a married father of two, was busy locking up his shop Food Town, located between Zeekoe Road and Fifth Avenue in Lotus River, when he was abducted by two men.

The suspects were driving a gold Toyota Corolla.

Witnesses claim Goolam put up a fight.

A passerby said: “They were closing the shop when the criminals came up to him and took him and he was fighting with them and then his cellphone fell to the ground.”

Shop assistants inside the store say they heard Goolam’s desperate cries for help, and then the car speeding away.

Police are still searching for businessman, Naushad Deshmukh Khan, 46, who was abducted outside his clothing shop, Khans, in Hadji Ebrahim Crescent by five armed men last month.

Naushad called home a few days later, telling his family that his kidnappers demanded £20 million (R338 million) for his safe return.

On Monday, Hanif Loonat, Cluster Chairperson of the Mitchell’s Plain Community Policing Forum said there appears to be a gang targeting “foreign businessmen” in Cape Town.

Meanwhile, the organisation BIP (Bangladeshi Indian Pakistani) has been formed to protect businessmen from criminal elements.

Goolam is a committee member of BIP.

Loonat said: “I was at the scene until 3am and the kidnappers called (Goolam’s) family demanding a ransom of R11 million and then brought it down to R10 million.

“The crack unit which was formed by Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula has five detectives specifically tasked to find out who these persons are and why.

“This is a syndicate coming from amongst the Pakistani, Chinese, Indian and Bangladeshi communities and it is about power and even protection money.”

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut confirms the matter is being investigated.

Anyone with information is asked to call SAPS on 08600 10111.

Daily Voice

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