Durban - A Bellair resident has expressed his gratitude to Metro Police officers after he was rescued following a 19-hour kidnap ordeal last month.
The 36-year-old man was allegedly kidnapped on April 28 at 3am by masked assailants. He was taken to a place in Inanda where he was assaulted while the kidnappers demanded ransom amounts from his family and friends.
It is alleged the man was kept in a dark room where he was forced to call family and friends asking for large amounts of money in exchange for his freedom. During this time, he was kept handcuffed and repeatedly beaten.
His family opened a kidnapping case at the Ntuzuma Police Station. However, it was the intervention of Metro Police officers who worked together with his family to arrest one assailant during a ransom exchange.
“During the ordeal the kidnappers were arguing among themselves whether to release me or kill me for body parts. I didn’t know if I was going to live or die. The moment the Metro Police officers rescued me I was so grateful. My sincere appreciation goes out to these officers and the Metro Police management as well as the Municipality. You are the best and I am touched beyond words to express my gratitude towards each officer who was involved,” he said.
He will be handing over a cake emblazoned with the Metro Police logo to the officers involved to express his heartfelt appreciation.
“It’s not much but I want to show the officers how grateful I am,” he added.
Head of the Metro Police Unit, Commissioner Steve Middleton praised the dedication of the officers involved.
“It is indeed an honour to have members of this professional calibre and I have conveyed the victim’s sincerest thanks and words he has shared to the officers involved,” said Middleton.
The Metro Police officers involved in the rescue were from the Rapid Response Unit, the Freeway Patrol Unit and the Albert Park Suburbs members.