Cape Town – The man deemed a person of interest over the disappearance of Tazne van Wyk, from Ravensmead in Elsies River, has appeared in the Cradock Magistrate's Court on a charge of kidnapping.
Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that the 54-year-old Moydine Pangarker had appeared in court on Tuesday and is being brought to Cape Town.
Police could not confirm whether the kidnapping charge related to the disappearance of Tazne, who has not been found yet.
"Moydine Pangarker made a court appearance yesterday in Craddock on a charge of kidnapping following his arrest the previous day.
"He is currently en route to Cape Town, where he will make a court appearance at a later stage. Tazne van Wyk (8) is yet to be found and the circumstances surrounding the case are still under investigation," Van Wyk said.
When questioned whether the kidnapping charge was related to the disappearance of the 8-year-old Tazne, police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut told Netwerk24 that "it was sufficient to know that the charge against him (Pangarker) was one of kidnapping".
After a more than week-long search, he was finally nabbed in Cradock, Eastern Cape.
Tazne was last seen on February 7, when she left her home to buy an ice lolly, just metres from her house.
The suspect was arrested by the Western Cape Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, together with Crime intelligence, in Cradock.
According to Die Burger, sources said Pangarker was led into a trap on Monday evening at the Victoria Hotel in Cradock when he went to visit a woman. He had been traced to Kimberley last week and thereafter in Colesberg, 200km from Cradock.
"We believe a woman informed them that he would be visiting and she was used as bait," a source said.
Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said Pangarker, a convicted criminal, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for culpable homicide in 2008.
Following his release on parole in October 2016, Pangarker was placed under correctional supervision at the Ladismith Community Corrections Centre.
A warrant of arrest had been issued for him in February last year after he broke his parole conditions. He was also meant to appear at the Worcester Magistrate's Court on February 6 but never pitched.
Minister of Community Safety Albert Fritz on Wednesday welcomed the arrest of the suspect and reiterated that a R10 000 reward will be made to anyone with information on Tazne’s whereabouts.