Two suspects, a 20-year-old learner and his 24-year-old friend, have been arrested for allegedly faking a kidnapping in Limpopo, South Africa, and demanding a R7,000 ransom from the learner’s family. Image: Pexels.
High school learner, 20, arrested for faking his own kidnapping
A 20-year-old learner and his 24-year-old friend have been arrested for allegedly faking a kidnapping and demanding a R7000 ransom,
Two suspects, a 20-year-old learner and his 24-year-old friend, have been arrested for allegedly faking a kidnapping in Limpopo, South Africa, and demanding a R7,000 ransom from the learner’s family. Image: Pexels.
A 20-year-old high school learner in Limpopo and his 24-year-old friend were arrested for allegedly faking a kidnapping and demanding a R7000 ransom from his family on Friday, 10 March.
LEARNER FAILS TO SHOW UP FOR SCHOOL
The learner allegedly left home in Lusika, Dennilton, to go to school and never returned home. His concerned mother told the father, who had received several text messages from the learner’s number asking for a phone call. However, the calls were ignored.
The parents asked the learner’s classmates about his whereabouts and were told that he had never pitched up at school on Friday.
“Later in the evening, at about 20:15, an unknown person called the family using the supposed victim’s number and demanded R7000 threatening to kill the victim if they failed to comply,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
The matter was reported to the police and a kidnapping case was opened, and a special team, including hostage negotiators, was deployed.
“Investigation revealed that the victim was in Tafelkop under Motetema policing area. The team made observations at various homesteads in Tafelkop, and the supposed suspect arrived at the scene, and he led the team to where the victim was,” said the police spokesperson.
BOGUS KIDNAPPING
The “victim” and his 24-year-old friend were taken in for questioning and were later arrested after they confessed to conspiring and faking the kidnapping in order to get money from the family.
The duo are expected to appear before the Mdutjana Magistrate’s Court in Siyabuswa on Monday, 13 March, on charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and uttery.
Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe condemned the fake kidnapping and said false reports greatly strain the service.
“We are at times receiving reports of kidnapping and are obliged to act immediately by mobilizing resources as the safety of victims could be at stake. False reports put a lot of strain on police resources which could have been directed to deal with real incidents of crime and to victims who desperately needed police assistance,” said Hadebe.
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