police

Police rescued Onalerona Riet from a gang of kidnappers. Photograph: SAPS

Police rescue kidnapped 3-year-old boy and nab gang

Police have been commended for their excellent detective work that led to the swift rescue of Onalerona Riet who has safely returned home.

police

Police rescued Onalerona Riet from a gang of kidnappers. Photograph: SAPS

A multi-disciplinary police team rescued a kidnapped three year old boy and arrested three suspects after an intense manhunt was launched when he disappeared earlier this week.

SAPS regional spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said that the team of police officers, which had included members of the Bainsvlei Visible Policing Detectives, Flying Squad, Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, worked tirelessly around the clock searching for the three year old boy, Onalerona Riet, who was kidnapped in Bainsvlei area on Monday 25 October 2021. 

“The team effort paid dividends when they pounced on the first suspect in Khayelitsha outside Bloemfontein,” Makhele said.

“The arrest of the 32-year-old male was followed by the arrest of a 24-year old who was arrested walking in the street in Khayelitsha on the evening of Tuesday, 26 October 2021,” Makhele  said.

Police find child unharmed

Makhele said that police had received further information at around 8.30pm that evening which led the search team to a house in Phomolong Informal Settlement where they arrested a 35-year-old man. He is also the owner of a Datsun 1400 which was used during the kidnapping.

“The team then went to the house in the same area where the child was found. The fourth suspect ran away before the police reached the house. The child was taken to National Hospital for examination and released to the parents as he was healthy and unharmed,” Makhele said.

SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane commended the team on the rescue and arrests.

“The hard work of this team will never go unnoticed.We are grateful that we could reunite Onalerona with his parents unharmed,” Motswenyane said.

The three suspects were detained and will appear in Bloemfontein Magistrate Court on Thursday 28 October 2021. Police confiscated the Datsun 1400 bakkie which will be processed as part of the investigation.