[Image: Flickr]
The Hawks have nabbed four suspects in the grim kidnapping and murder of a Cape Town man who vanished while out trying to buy a car.
According to Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Siyabulela Vukubi, the long arm of the law, backed by the Western Cape anti-kidnapping unit and hostage negotiators, pounced on the suspects during an “intelligence-led operation” on Saturday. The suspects, aged between 29 and 42, probably didn’t see it coming.
The crew now faces a full house of nasty charges: kidnapping, extortion, and murder, TimesLIVE reported.
“Their arrests come after a victim was allegedly kidnapped in Kraaifontein on May 16,” said Vukubi.
“The victim was last seen by a friend who reported that the victim went to Bellville to view a vehicle he intended to purchase and never came back. Instead, another friend of the victim received a call from the victim reporting that he had been kidnapped and assaulted.”
At that point, the situation went from dodgy to downright chilling.
“Simultaneously, a ransom of R100,000 for the victim’s release was demanded by the suspects. Further phone calls were made by the suspects and the ransom was reduced to R10,000.”
A hundred grand one moment, ten the next – what is this, a hostage negotiation or a Black Friday sale?
“It was alleged that an amount of R5000 was deposited in that bank account and the suspects continued to demand the balance,” Vukubi added, painting a picture of criminals who clearly weren’t watching the clock, or the cops closing in.
On Saturday, following a trail of clues, the team zeroed in on Philippi and Kleinvlei and cuffed the suspects. But the worst was yet to come.
“A further probe led the team to an open field on the dunes between Monwabisi beach and Macassar, where one of the suspects pointed out a shallow grave where the victim was killed and buried.”
Dark. Chilling. And a brutal end to what started as a simple trip to buy a car.
The suspects are expected to make their first appearance in the Kuilsriver magistrate’s court on Monday, and something tells us they’re not driving themselves there.
[Source: TimesLIVE]
