Ten nabbed over fake kidnapping
The police in Ga-Rankuwa have arrested 10 people after a fake kidnapping involving a Bangladeshi national last week.
Nine people and the man said to have been held hostage by them last week have been arrested in Ga-Rankuwa.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Matthews Nkoadi said the initial information was that a Bangladeshi national was taken hostage on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old man, who worked in his uncle’s shop, was apparently sent by his cousin to Ga-Rankuwa Shopping Centre to buy airtime. As he was roaming in the mall, he was “kidnapped” and held for a ransom of R200 000.
The demand was conveyed to his uncle, who informed the police.
Residents of Bapong near Brits in North West tipped police off on Friday that the so-called kidnapping victim was seen in the area.
“A swift investigation led our members to Bapong where all nine suspects, including the ‘victim’, were arrested on Saturday,” said Nkoadi.
Nkoadi said there were five South Africans and four Bangladeshi nationals among those arrested. The nine men and their so-called victim would appear in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
