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The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) in Region G rescued a kidnapped businessman and arrested two suspects on Sunday night through vigilant and decisive action.
According to reports, officers on routine patrol along Nirvana Drive were alerted by a member of the public about the recent armed abduction of his brother in Lenasia Extension 13.
The officers proceeded to Airborne Street, where community members reported an Ethiopian national was forced into a white Nissan 1400 bakkie by two armed males while he was closing his shop.
“While interviewing witnesses and awaiting the South African Police Service (SAPS), our members spotted a vehicle matching the description driving past the crime scene.
“They [officers] followed the bakkie to a dead end on the same street, where the occupants exited and entered a local tavern.
“Upon questioning the suspects, officers conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered a set of three small keys,” JMPD Chief of Police Commissioner Patrick Jaca explained.
Jaca said although the passenger claimed these were house keys, the officers’ intuition led them to test the keys at the victim’s shop.
He continued, “One of the keys successfully unlocked the shop’s security gate, directly linking the suspects to the scene of the crime.
Kidnapped man located at an identified address
“Following the discovery, the suspects were placed under arrest and subsequently disclosed that the victim was being held in Phiri, Soweto.”
JMPD officers located the victim at an identified address, finding him restrained with cable ties on his hands and legs in a room.
Two firearms, suspected to have been used during the abduction, were subsequently recovered from the location.
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“The victim was successfully rescued. A case docket has been opened at Lenasia SAPS, and the Nissan 1400 bakkie has been booked as an exhibit for investigation,” he added.
Jaca highlighted that the bravery and investigative skills of JMPD officers, supported by crucial community cooperation, ensured a swift and positive outcome, demonstrating their dedication to resident safety.
