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Businessman drops charges in high-profile kidnapping case

The charges against the five accused were withdrawn by the Pakistani businessman this morning.

In an unsuspected twist, the five men accused of kidnapping Pakistani businessman, Saqlain Ali, walked out of eMalahleni Magistrate Court smiling earlier today.

In an empty courtroom, Ali withdrew the kidnapping charges against the men.

@witbanknews♬ original sound – witbanknews

The support he had last week when the Pakistani business community demanded justice for him after he was kidnapped from his hardware store in the CBD a week ago, was not present.

@witbanknews Chaos broke out at eMalahleni Magistrate Court earlier when Pakistani Nationals demanded to know why the alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping of a businessman did not appear in front of the court #Pakistan #businessowner #business #Witbank #eMalahleni #southafrica #pakistanhighcommission #kidnapping #help ♬ original sound – witbanknews

During a demonstration at the court on Friday, November 24 Ali told WITBANK NEWS that he was kidnapped at gunpoint, assaulted, and feared for his life.

He was later recovered unharmed in Pietermaritzburg.

The Witness, also from the Caxton stable, reported the arrests followed a dramatic midnight operation on Tuesday when a police task force, led by the Crime Intelligence Unit under Colonel Rumen Maistry, raided an industrial park in Willowton, Pietermaritzburg where Ali was found.

In an interview he requested the High Commission of Pakistan to help him.

“I need justice from the court, I can’t get it,” he pleaded on social media.

He said a feud over rent was the reason for the kidnapping.

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Zita Goldswain

News Editor at the Witbank News Caxton stable. Witbank News has been my ‘home’ for the past 24 years. Journalism is the ability to meet the challenge of filling the space true words said by Rebecca West. I meet challenges, get the better of them and fill space with true words.
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