Three arrested in Pinetown for kidnapping, extortion

Three suspects were arrested by members of Pinetown visible policing on Wednesday, November 10 for kidnapping and extortion.

According to Pinetown Cluster communications officer, Captain Bongumusa Manqele, the three suspects are believed to have offered a 25-year-old woman a domestic worker job. The advert was uploaded to a social media site.

Manqele said one of the three people arrested is a foreign national and was identified as the kingpin.

“It is alleged that the victim from Ingwavuma (north of (KwaZulu-Natal), travelled to Mariannhill to meet with a woman who promised her the job,” explained Manqele.

He stated that while the victim waited at a petrol station in Mariannhill, she received an instruction to walk to the Marianhill railway. She was to then meet with a man who would ‘take her to her place of work’.

“As the victim made her way to the railway, a man approached her and said he had been sent to pick her up. While walking, the suspect demanded R20 000 from the woman,” said Manqele.

Manqele said the woman was told to phone her parents, who live in Ingwavuma, and they deposited R700 into the victim’s bank account.

“The suspect allegedly took the bank card from the victim and told her not to leave the are. The suspect came back and told the victim to leave after he withdrew the money from her bank account,” said Manqele.

The mother of the victim opened a case of kidnapping and extortion at Ingwavuma Police Station.

“The matter was also reported to Crime Intelligence, who traced the suspects through the cellphone used to solicit money from the victim. All three suspects were arrested on Park Lane in Pinetown,” added Manqele.

The suspects are expected to appear at the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court today (Friday, November 12).