A 20-year-old student was yesterday, Saturday 11 March 2023, arrested together with his friend, aged 24, for allegedly faking the kidnapping and demanding a ransom of R7000 from his family.
Fake abduction
According to a statement issued by the police, the 20-year-old student left his home on Friday morning in Lusaka in Dennilton as if to go to school which is about 3 kilometers from his home.
Police said the mother became worried when she did not come home as usual and told her husband when he returned from work.
The wife told the police that she was also shocked because she received several messages from her son’s number indicating that she should call him but when she called him back, he did not answer.
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“The two of them then asked about their son from their friends who confirmed that he did not go to class on Friday and never saw him. In the evening at about 8:15 p.m., an unknown person called the family using a number believed to be the victim and demanded 7000.00, and threatened to kill them if they did not comply.
The police revealed the truth
The family immediately reported to the police and a case of kidnapping was opened.
According to the police, immediate action is being taken by deploying a special team that includes SAPS hostage negotiators, to thoroughly investigate and possibly arrest the perpetrators.
Investigations by the team revealed that the victim was at Tafelkop in the Motetema police area.
The police further explained that the team made observations in various homesteads in Tafelkop and the suspected suspect came to the place and he led the team to where the victim was.
The victim was taken in, along with his 24-year-old friend, for questioning.
The duo was arrested after admitting to conspiring and faking the kidnapping to get money from the family.
Provincial Police Commissioner in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe strongly condemned the incident.
“Sometimes we receive reports of kidnappings and we have to act quickly by mobilizing resources because the safety of the victims can be at stake. False reports lead to many police resources that can be directed to deal with real incidents of crime and to victims who need police assistance,” said Lt. General Hadebe in a statement.
The two suspects will appear in the Mdutjana Magistrate’s Court in Siyabuswa on Monday 13 March 2023 facing charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and utter fraud.
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