A 28-year-old religious leader has been rescued by the police just over two weeks after he was kidnapped outside his father’s hardware franchise in Benoni.
Tahseen Mateen Kardame, a Moulana, was kidnapped on 12 November (see video below).
Police said a multi-disciplinary integrated task team immediately activated a new intervention which led to Kadame’s rescue.
Explaining events leading up to the rescue, national police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo on Tuesday said “the team initially arrested two suspects in Daveyton, including an Ekurhuleni Municipal Traffic Department employee, at 23:30 last night.
“The team continued with investigations which led the team to Wattville, Benoni, GP and at 9 am today arrested a third suspect.
“The investigations eventually led the team to a house in Katlehong where the kidnap victim was rescued and two more men were arrested bringing to five the total number of suspects arrested thus far.”
Brigadier Naidoo said the arrested suspects are all South Africans between 29 years and 72 years of age. One of them is a well-known cash-in-transit robber who was out on bail.
He said the team recovered 15 cellphones, a semi-automatic rifle, shotgun, pistol, and bullets.
Brigadier Naidoo said the suspects will appear in the Benoni Magistrates court on Thursday, 2 December 2021.
They are facing charges of kidnapping, extortion, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
The National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla John Sitole has applauded the team for rescuing Kardame without any ransom being paid and also arresting five suspects.
“We continue to appeal to anyone who has any information on crime to please contact the SAPS Crime Stop on 086 00 10111. Information can also be communicated via the SAPS MySAPSApp,” said Brigadier Naidoo.
“All information will be treated with strictest confidence and callers may remain anonymous.”
