DURBAN - TWO suspects have been arrested for kidnapping and extortion after an Indian foreign national man was abducted from a parking lot in the Durban central business district on Thursday.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said that on Saturday night an SAPS team was informed about a 24-year-old Indian national who had been kidnapped. She said police then began investigating the matter.
On Sunday, Magma Security and Investigations lead investigator, Shaheen Suleiman, said the company was contacted by the family after the man was kidnapped last week on Thursday by five suspects who were in a Mazda Hatchback sedan.
Suleiman said the family mandated Magma Security to investigate and assist in the recovery of the victim.
The police’s Durban Special Task Force, Durban Central Detectives and the Crime Intelligence Phoenix Cluster also assisted, he said.
Mbele said the Saps team was informed that the suspects were communicating with the victim's brother and had demanded a ransom.
“The money was arranged and the meeting point was given to the victim's brother as South Coast Road in Clairwood,” said Mbele.
Mbele said the meeting point was later changed to Wiggins Road.
“The team proceeded to the meeting point where the ransom was given to the suspects by the victim's brother,” she said.
Once the victim was dropped off, officers gave chase after the vehicle the suspects were in.
“The vehicle was intercepted and stopped by the team at Wiggins Road. Two occupants of the vehicle, one of whom was a foreign national, were arrested with the cash,” she said.
Mbele said the investigation continued to the suspect's place of residence where a 9mm pistol, 15 rounds of ammunition and the suspects’ cellular phones were found and seized.
Police said the tracing of other outstanding suspects is continuing.
Both men, aged 34 and 39, will appear at the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday facing kidnapping and extortion charges.
THE MERCURY