Cape Town - The father of kidnapped Abirah Dekhta has revealed chilling details about the 8-year-old girl’s 10-day ordeal after she was reunited with her family unharmed.
Aslam Dekhta recounted the joy and sense of relief when his daughter was brought to their Rylands home by police on Monday evening.
The Rylands Primary School learner was kidnapped on her way to school just after 7am on November 4, at Amber Court, along Yusuf Gool Boulevard, Rylands.
The two men, who were in a white Nissan twin-cab bakkie, also accosted and robbed the driver of the learner transport vehicle Abirah was in.
“I was crying. I couldn’t control my emotions. When she came, all she said was ‘Papa’,” he said.
Dekhta, who owns a cellphone shop in Gatesville, does not believe the family was targeted and said his daughter was well cared for.
“They looked after her good. They gave her food and whenever she wanted to go to the bathroom, they even gave her one bucket to take a bath. She said it was very bad conditions. She said two or three times, it was very dirty,” Dekhta said.
“She said she ate KFC burgers, McDonald’s, and sometimes they just give their food, the chicken. She said she didn’t like it.”
At the time of the abduction, Abirah was not in her school uniform but in civvies, as it was a Friday, and was found wearing the same clothes.
“They (kidnappers) called two or three times, threatening me, saying, ‘we’re going to do this with your child’. They said they’re going to cut her finger, and they’re going to sell her somewhere.”
Dekhta said the kidnapping was all for ransom, but would not disclose how much was the kidnappers demanded.
“Not even one cent was paid because of the rescue by police officers,” Dekhta said.
Like most parents would, he contemplated paying the ransom, he said.
“Obviously, all people are thinking about that… and most people worry about their children. You know what you’re doing, why you’re working, because you want to make your children happy. That is your first priority and always I think, ‘I don't care about words but I need my daughter’.”
He said his daughter looked fine, but he was not sure of what was going through her mind.
“The family is okay but before, it was very difficult. The first three or four days, her mother was always crying. We just prayed to the Almighty and I thought, whatever is our destiny, we just focus on our God, we don't have another way.
“Only He can bring her back to us. When she was born, He gave us her, and again He will bring her back to us, reunite us again.”
He said his daughter was not blindfolded during the ordeal, but was unable to say how many men there were.
“She doesn’t know. They didn't come too much in front of her. When they gave the food, one guy will come and give the food. If she asks for something, they’ll give. They were not in the room, they were in another room always. There were no women.”
Dekhta said family, friends, and the broader community provided immense support throughout the time, and thanked all of them for their countless prayers for his daughter’s safe return.
The house was filled with people embracing the family, and rejoicing in Dekhta’s return.
The father of 6-year-old Shanawaaz Asghar who was kidnapped at his Kensington home earlier this year and later reunited with his family, was at the Dekhta family home in a show of support.
The fathers embraced each other, both overwhelmed with emotion.
Dekhta said many people who were directly impacted by kidnappings had reached out and visited the family.
“They came to me and they gave me hope, saying ‘don't worry, it will be finished soon. Don't be so afraid’.”
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said Abirah was found in a shack in Town Two, Khayelitsha, on Monday evening and immediately taken for a medical examination.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said seven people had been apprehended for questioning.
Cele, who was speaking in Mitchells Plain on Tuesday, said what was concerning was that most victims were found in Khayelitsha, and he slammed the community for not speaking up.
“We have taken seven people from there, we are questioning them. We are finding out what happened. You are not going to tell me that nobody saw those people, that is abnormal,” he said.
“They do not stay here, and they are doing something that they are not supposed to do, and (when) you are keeping quiet, you are part of that crime yourself.”