By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
Five suspects aged between 24 and 42, briefly appeared before the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on 14 May 2024, after being arrested for kidnapping. It is alleged that five suspects who are Zimbabwean Nationals, saw an advert on Facebook about the sale of maize meal in Klerksdorp.
The North West police spokesperson, Lieutenant Col Amanda Funani said the suspects then allegedly made arrangements on 7 May 2024 and ultimately drove from Pretoria to come and buy the product. She said on arrival in Klerksdorp, they were taken to Extension 19 in Jouberton Township, near Klerksdorp to collect the maize meal.
“While the victims were waiting inside the house, people who pretended to be police officials, allegedly entered and robbed them of their money. The suspects who did not harm the victims, fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash.
“A case of common robbery was opened at Jouberton Police Station. An attempt to meet with the scammers by the victims, who also became suspects on 9 May 2024, was made. However, they used a woman now to act as a potential client and agreed to meet at a certain garage in Klerksdorp,” said Funani.
She further said the suspects allegedly spotted the alleged scammer (40), then grabbed and put him inside their vehicle and drove off to the direction of Lichtenburg. Funani added that the suspects’ vehicle was stopped by the police near Lichtenburg.
“The victim managed to disclose that he had been kidnapped. The suspects were, as a result, arrested while the kidnapped victim was handed over to the police at Jouberton Police Station for common robbery. Tsietsi
Ncipha briefly appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on 10 May 2024 and was granted a R2000 bail.
“Five suspects were taken to Klerksdorp and made first appearance before the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on 14 May 2024, for Kidnapping. Xolani Ncube, Milton Nyoni, Mandla Ntshongolo, Joel Moyo and Kalvin Tshuma, are expected to appear before the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court again on 20 May 2024, for bail application,” she said.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, congratulated the police in Lichtenburg and the Detectives in Klerksdorp and Jouberton, for working together in making sure that the suspects were arrested.
TaungDailyNews 