Pretoria – A kidnapped 49-year-old Portuguese-speaking butchery owner – identified on social media as Mark Ramos – has been rescued by police from a house in Snake Park, Soweto, leading to the arrest of a suspect.
Narrating events leading to the rescue and arrest, national police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, on Tuesday said the victim was traced to a house, where he was being held captive.
She said the man was kidnapped from his business premises in Florida on 24 June 2024.
“The South African Police Service (SAPS) anti-kidnapping task team including other law enforcement agencies and private security have been working around the clock to find the businessman,” said Brigadier Mathe.
She said police swooped on the Snake Park house on Monday evening, (1 July 2024), and rescued the businessman.
“On the same evening, members [police] also arrested one of his captors in Turfontein, Johannesburg,” Brigadier Mathe said.
“The 39-year-old suspect is believed to belong to a syndicate that is responsible for at least four other kidnappings, where businessmen were the target in the Johannesburg District.
“The team is currently tracing suspects who were working together with the man.”
Brigadier Mathe said in the last six months 12 businessmen and six students were kidnapped for ransom.
She said the kidnapped victims had all been rescued by a multidisciplinary team led by the SAPS anti-kidnapping task team.
The police spokesperson added that the 49-year-old Portuguese-speaking businessman was the latest victim to be rescued by the team.
“In cases where the businessmen and students had been rescued, no ransom payment was made as a direct result of the expertise and capabilities of SAPS detectives, the crime intelligence unit, and collaboration with private security,” explained Brigadier Mathe.
“From January 2024 to date, 49 kidnappers who had demanded ransom payment from families of victims have been arrested in Gauteng, North West, and the Free State.
“Twenty-one vehicles used in the commission of these crimes have been confiscated and eight firearms have also been seized.”
Brigadier Mather said the SAPS was confident that working together with all stakeholders and community tip-offs, it would continue to take down more syndicates believed to be behind a spate of kidnappings for ransom across the country.
Although police have not identified the businessman by name, he has been named as Mark Ramos in social media posts.
