DIDI Bosawa (34), a Rosettenville resident, has come out and said he was threatened last week after he was kidnapped two weeks ago.
The threat, a text message, was from an unknown number which stated that the culprits knew where he lived and would be able to find him anywhere.
Bosawa is convinced that the message was sent to intimidate him to drop the ongoing kidnapping investigation by police.
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“I fear for my life as some people do not want the justice system to prevail. I don’t feel safe.”
He said the message was another attempt to have him drop the ongoing case.
He was kidnapped by five people and four of the men were arrested on the day of the kidnapping.
The fifth suspect was a woman who managed to escape..
Germiston police were still to confirm information on the extent of investigations.
Bosawa shared details about his horrific kidnapping, when he was ambushed by the five assailants and forced into vehicle at gun point, with the COURIER.
While on route to an unknown location, he was beaten and handcuffed. The kidnappers were travelling in two cars and finally got to their destination – a house in Germiston.
“I was assaulted several times and constantly felt pins and needles in my right hand. Several of my injuries were internal.” The businessman continued to speak about the emotional, scary day when he was almost killed by the men.
He was in Bree Street attempting to sort out a debt issue with a friend. He had arranged a meeting to pay the friend R9 000.
Bosawa waited for the friend at the Bree taxi rank when he was surprisingly ambushed by four men and a female.
As he was forced into the car, he managed to memorise the plate number: CH 98 PY GP.
He said the group claimed they were detectives.
“As we reached Germiston my face was covered. I could not resist as I was handcuffed.”
He said he was taken into a residence at 72 Voortrekker Street and handcuffed to a steel rail in the back yard of the premises.
According to Bosawa the men demanded R45 000 from him or they would kill him that night.
“At that moment I realised the men were not police. The men took out all sorts of weapons to intimidate me.”
He agreed to pay the R 45 000.
He pleaded with the men to allow him to make a few calls so his wife Elinda Kifakio (25) so they could start raising the money.
The men and woman allowed him to make the call.
He said he quickly sent details of his location to his wife and deleted them afterwards. He also noticed the address of the house on one of the dustbins inside the yard.
“I told my wife everything in the short space of time – including the car’s licence plate – via text and then deleted the message.”
“I was using French in the text language as well as Lingala, my mother tongue, to communicate with my wife so they [culprits] could not understand. I told my wife to go to the Germiston Police Station to report this matter and give them all these details, which she did.
“I was held by the men from 11.16am to 5pm.”
He added that two of the men demanded R2 000 for themselves aside from the R45 000. They forced him to reveal his bank card PIN and took his card. His card was later given back to him at the police station.
About 20 police officers barged into the place and found him and four of the men. The female culprit managed to escape.
The police freed him and arrested the four men.
A docket was opened at the Germiston station.
The men appeared in court on September 7 and face charges of kidnapping, robbery and possession of firearms.
Police have confirmed the bust and said more information relating to the arrest would be provided.
They said sensitive new developments regarding the case had surfaced which allegedly link officers to the case. They said the matter would be disclosed once all information had been tallied.
The COURIER is investigating the matter further.
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