Mbombela (Nelspruit) – Four friends have been safely reunited with their families after they were kidnapped by a group of men posing as law enforcement officers in Mpumalanga.
The Bulletin has named the freed friends as, Jameel Salley, Yusuf Saber, Ahmed Dhorat, and Ziyaad Salley.
Narrating events leading to the kidnapping, SA Police Service (SAPS) National Spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said: “The four friends were travelling between Standerton and Trichardt on Monday evening when they were stopped and accosted by a group of men”.
The kidnappers were driving in a white VW Polo fitted with blue lights.
Brigadier Mathe said four men were kidnapped and kept captive while the suspects withdrew large sums of money from their bank accounts.
“The matter was reported to the SAPS and the anti-kidnapping task team operationalised information and traced the friends within 48 hours to a house in Vosloorus in Gauteng,” Brigadier Mathe said
“A manhunt is underway to apprehend those behind this crime.”
The SAPS is looking for a group of three to four suspects, who have been involved in similar incidents where motorists were stopped and forced to part with large sums of money before they were freed.
In the other reported incidents, motorists were stopped by a group of men driving in a Ford Ranger bakkie and a white VW Polo fitted with blue lights.
“These incidents happened in a space of a week in Nelspruit, Hazyview and Standerton,” Brigadier Mathe said.
“In the other two incidents, families were also held captive and large sums of money was also withdrawn from their accounts.”
Brigadier Mathe said in the last two years, more than 300 suspects linked to kidnappings where ransom demands were made or victims made to withdraw large sums of money from their accounts have been arrested.
SAPS warns members of the public about the kidnapping and urges motorists to be extra vigilant in an event where they suspect that they are being stopped by criminals posing as police officers.
Motorists are urged to adhere to the following guidelines:
- Do not stop if you suspect that you might be stopped by bogus police officers.
- Drive to the nearest police station, shopping complex or any other busy area when you are stopped by an unmarked vehicle fitted with blue lights.
- Do not stop at a deserted spot or area to talk on your phone or even relieve yourself.
- If someone tries to force you out of the road, don’t panic but just constantly hoot to draw attention.
- You have the right to request a police officer who is not in uniform and an unmarked vehicle to identify themselves by producing their SAPS appointment card that would have their rank, date of service, and picture on them.
- Communities are assured that police are working around the clock to apprehend those behind these incidents and put a stop to these acts of criminality.
- Communities are also reminded to continue to report any suspicious activities to their nearest police station.
*Photos credit: The Bulletin
