Man (23) charged with kidnapping of west woman (30) denied bail
“The accused also did not testify in support of his bail application, therefore, the court denied him bail on the basis that he failed to prove that exceptional circumstances exist which in the interest of justice permit his release on bail.”
A 23-year-old man facing charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, possession of a dangerous weapon and extortion has been denied bail by the Atteridgeville magistrate’s court.
This follows allegations that Thabang Mokoena (23) kidnapped 30-year-old Tumi Mokgatle from the west of Pretoria, last month.
Gauteng NPA regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the state argued during bail application on Tuesday that the suspect should remain behind bars.
Mahanjana said this was due to the seriousness of the charges and the fact that some of the suspects were yet to be arrested in relation to the crimes.
“The accused also did not testify in support of his bail application, therefore, the court denied him bail on the basis that he failed to prove that exceptional circumstances exist which in the interest of justice permit his release on bail.”
Police have since been on the hunt for another man who allegedly disguised himself as a police official, which led to the kidnapping of Mokgatle, after Mokoena was found guarding the woman at an informal dwelling in the North West.
Police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said the mother was safely reunited with her family, after a multi-disciplinary team consisting of members in the SAPS swooped in on her kidnappers in a shack in Kgabaletsane in the Klipgat policing precinct in the North West province.
“Last month, members from the national crime intelligence unit, national organised crime unit, local and district detectives from Tshwane, as well as members of the tactical response teams, members of the Hartbeespoort dam police station and national hostage negotiators worked around the clock to find the mother that had been kidnapped from her home in Atteridgeville, Pretoria,” said Mathe.
She said Mokgatle was kidnapped by at least two men, who at the time of the incident, were impersonated police officials.
“During the kidnapping ordeal, her kidnappers made contact with the victim’s brother demanding a ransom.”
It is alleged that the two called Mokgatle’s brother, a practising attorney in Pretoria demanding R500 000 ransom money.
Mokgatle was kidnapped in Atteridgeville shortly after 08:00 and driven to Hartbeespoort where her white Volkswagen Polo was abandoned in Ifafi, around 09:00.
According to eyewitnesses on the scene, a white Audi, followed by the Volkswagen drove into Mauser Street and stopped.
“We heard a woman scream in the Audi.”
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A man then jumped out of the white Volkswagen Polo and got into the Audi, and the car sped off in the direction of the R511,” an eyewitness said to Kormorant.
According to her brother, he received a call from a Zulu-speaking man demanding a ransom.
Mathe said immediately after the ransom demand was made, police and the team assembled and mobilised the 72-hour activation plan.
“The multi-disciplinary team intensified its efforts and followed up on several leads. Just after midnight the victim was found under the guard of one of her kidnappers in a shack in Klipgat.
“The victim was immediately rescued and taken for counselling and debriefing by the SAPS hostage negotiators.”
SAPS national commissioner General Khehla Sitole has since commended the multidisciplinary team for reuniting the victim with her family, safe and unharmed.
“The 72-hour activation plan has yielded positive results. Within hours after the crime was committed, our teams have managed to secure the life of this young woman and ensured she is back home safe and unharmed with her family. Our work is not done, we are hot on the heels of the accomplice,” said Sitole.
The matter has been postponed to October 13, for first appearance in the regional court.
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