The police have revealed that a Cape Town businessman who was kidnapped on Thursday was dropped off at a police station by the suspects who sped off without being detected.
Muneeb Ismail, 26, was taken from Silversands Motor Spares in Blue Downs on Thursday afternoon during an incident that was captured on CCTV cameras.
Three suspects were seen on CCTV footage walking the victim out of the shop and get into a white Mercedes Benz.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie said the assailants left Ismail at Harare SAPS hours after the abduction.
“Police management in the Western Cape are relieved to confirm that the 26-year-old kidnapped man who was taken from a business in Nooiensfontein Road, Silversands on Thursday, March 23, was reunited with his family after being dropped off by his assailants at the Harare police station at about 9.45pm,” he said.
“Information gathered from the victim and the circumstances surrounding his ordeal form part of the ongoing investigation.”
Pojie confirmed the victim sustained bruises to his body and was taken for medical assessment upon being reunited with his loved ones.
“No arrest has been made and investigations continue.”
On Thursday afternoon, Pojie told the Weekend Argus that the suspects asked for the owner of Silversands Motor Spare owner before taking Ismail.
“Seasoned detectives attached to the Western Cape Provincial Detectives were assigned to probe the kidnapping of a 26-year-old businessman at a business premises in Nooiensfontein Road in Silversands.
“Preliminary investigation suggested that three armed men entered the premises, looking for the owner who was not at the shop at the time. They then got hold of the 26-year-old victim and forced him into a white Mercedes Benz that was parked outside the shop in which they fled the scene.”
He added the investigation was at an early stage and the motive forms part of the investigation.
Anti-crime activist Hanif Loonat said he was baffled by the suspects’ decision to release Ismail.
“I am baffled and confused that these kidnappers would release someone so quickly without a payment and do the drop-off close to a police station.
“This could have been a mistaken identity where a wrong person was taken or the victim was absolutely lucky to have remorseful kidnappers.
“I, with all my experience in kidnappings, feel the reasons will be very interesting.”
Loonat said kidnapping cases had decreased in the last six months in the province.
“In the last quarter the Western Cape had a huge reduction in kidnappings, but I believe that there was reason for concern as it was still at an unacceptable rate.”
Despite this, several cases of kidnappings have been reported in the Western Cape over the last few months, including that of a 37-year-old Malawian national in Knysna who was rescued by police in February. This followed by the kidnapping of a Pakistani shopkeeper in Cape Town earlier this month.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Cape, kidnapped biokineticist, Riana Pretorius, 26, who was snatched outside a medical practice in Pickering Street, Newton Park, was found unharmed yesterday (Friday) morning.
Pretorius had been missing for a week when she was found in the early hours. According to reports
She had been taken for a week and was found in the early hours of Friday morning and a ransom demand of R2 million was also made.
Eastern Cape Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela confirmed that Pretorius was found unharmed.
In a separate incident, Mgolodela also said a 34-year-old man was arrested for an Eastern Cape kidnapping case in Cape Town this week.
“Subsequent to the arrest by the Eastern Cape Kidnapping Task Team with the assistance of Western Cape Serious Organised Crime Investigation and Economic Protected Resources members, the 34-year-old Ali Rizwan appeared in Cape Town Magistrate’s court on 20 March, 2023, for charges of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.
“On 18 March 2023, the members of the Eastern Cape Kidnapping Task Team assisted by the Western Cape (team) conducted a tracing operation in Kensington, Cape Town.
“A warrant of arrest for the suspect was already issued regarding kidnapping cases that had taken place in the Eastern Cape. The suspect was found at the address in Kensington and was arrested.”
Weekend Argus