Cape Town - Four suspects arrested for the kidnap of city businessman Ismail Rajah, 69, appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Elijah Silinga, 27, Thamsanqa Mvimjelwa, 34, Amosse Manyisa, 25, and Julio Langa, 37, have been charged with two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping, while Manyisa and Langa have also been charged for being in the country illegally.
The four claimed they had been beaten up by the police.
The magistrate conducted most of the proceedings in Xhosa and enquired about their injuries, which they claimed had been inflicted at the hands of police.
Mvimjelwa was physically unable to stand or sit up straight and told the magistrate that he had received medical attention, showing the court his pain medication. Manyisa had bandages around his hands and Langa told the magistrate that he had bruises over his body.
Silinga and Mvimjelwa confirmed in court that they resided in Mandela Park, Khayelitsha, while Manyisa and Langa were both Mozambican citizens who had been living in Johannesburg before they started living with Mvimjelwa.
The four opted for Legal Aid representation and said that they were unemployed. Mvimjelwa indicated to the Legal Aid attorney that he was afraid to be released out of custody and conveyed that he had no interest in applying for bail for fear of his life. This information, however, was not divulged to the court.
The four were arrested following a midnight raid by the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Team along with organised crime officials who managed to rescue Rajah while his family were en-route to pay an R8.1 million ransom in Dubai.
Rajah was found chained to a bed wearing the same clothes he had on when he was kidnapped outside his Good Hope Construction business and placed into an Audi by armed gunmen in March this year.
According to police, more suspects may be arrested for the kidnapping while the matter was postponed to July 8 for further bail information. The four remain in custody.
At the time of publication, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) was unable to comment on the assault allegations.
Rajah’s family spoke to the Cape Argus a day after he was returned to the safety of his home.
They discussed the huge relief they felt the first time they saw him physically and how they were tormented throughout the kidnapping ordeal. Rajah had expressed his gratitude for everyone who prayed for his safe return, they said.