The alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping of KwaDukuza businessman Zakaria Desai, 51-year-old Esmael Nangy, failed to appear in the KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday due to an apparent transport mishap.

Nangy, who is currently held at Durban’s Westville Prison, was not brought to court, while his co-accused, Stefan Brites (57) and Mpumalanga police officer Samkeliso Mlotshwa (39), were present. Both Nangy and Brites are Mozambican nationals, while Mlotshwa is a border gate officer.

The trio faces charges related to the September abduction of Desai, who was kidnapped outside a mosque in KwaDukuza. The 47-year-old businessman, affiliated with the Desai’s Cash and Carry family business, remains missing.

Desai’s kidnapping drew national attention when video footage of his abduction went viral. The CCTV footage shows a silver VW Polo fleeing the scene amidst gunfire as bystanders attempt to intervene. Reports indicate that the Desai family received ransom demands following his abduction.

Outside the courthouse, protesters, including members of the African National Congress (ANC) and KwaDukuza mayor Ali Ngidi, rallied in solidarity with the Desai family, calling for justice.

The high-profile kidnapping continues to grip the community, while questions remain about Desai’s whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding the brazen crime.

The case has been postponed to December 27.

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