Nine suspects arrested for kidnapping Cape Town businessman
Man rescued from kidnappers, suspects arrested.
Image: IOL
Nine suspects have been arrested following the kidnapping of a 51-year-old businessman from Summer Greens in Cape Town last week.
Police confirmed the suspects were arrested on Friday and Monday respectively.
The suspects are believed to have kept the man hostage inside a house in Saldanha Bay, where he was robbed of his cellphone and a large amount of cash by seven suspects.
Police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potwelwa, said: "Following the robbery and kidnapping of a 51-year-old businessman from Summer Greens in Cape Town a week ago, members of the anti-kidnapping task team in the Western Cape have rescued the hostage and arrested nine suspects on Friday and Monday evening in Khayelitsha and Saldanha Bay respectively. It is alleged that during the robbery and kidnapping, the hostage and the occupants of the house were robbed of cellphones and a substantial amount of cash by seven armed suspects."
Potelwa said as part of ongoing investigations, the team of detectives, intelligence operatives, and special task force members descended on a number of premises in Makhaza, Khayelitsha on Friday evening, where they arrested five suspects.
"Further information led the task team to a household in Basil February Street in the coastal town of Saldanha where the first arrest was made.
"Later, they pounced on another house in Noordse Street, also in Saldanha, where the hostage was rescued and three suspects arrested.
"The hostage, who was tied-up and appeared injured from presumed torture, was taken to a medical facility for treatment.
"The arrested suspects, seven men and two women between the ages of 20 and 50, are expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Wednesday facing possession of stolen property, firearms and ammunition charges, as well as robbery, kidnapping, and extortion charges."
Potelwa said Western Cape SAPS management commended the anti-kidnapping task team for the meticulous investigations that led to the rescue of the hostage and the arrests made.