Man uses rent money to gamble, after staging his own kidnapping and extorting money from family

A 25-year-old man is set to appear in the Athlone Magistrates Court, on Friday, after he allegedly staged his own kidnapping.

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The police’s FC van Wyk said the man’s brother reported a kidnapping case after he received a message from an anonymous number.

‘’On Tuesday 2024-01-02 a foreign national man reported his brother as kidnapped…According to reports at approximately 05:30 the complainant left his residence at David Venda Street, Betterlife, Philippi East to go to work leaving his brother who was supposed to go and deposit rent money at Shoprite for the premises they are residing at,’’ said Captain F.C van Wyk.

‘’It’s alleged that the complainant’s cellular telephone was off and when he switched it on at about 18:00 he found a message indicating that his brother had been kidnapped and the suspects are demanding a ransom amount between R4 000 and R5 000 for his safe return. They also said that they took the money and the cellular telephone of the captive and that they are in the Khayelitsha area,’’ added van Wyk.

The police spokesperson said the wife of the complainant also received a message from a different number, later the day, saying she must deposit the requested amount to this number.

‘’Reports reveal that the brother never returned home on the 02 January 2024 and the ransom demand amount was increased to R15 000. On 09 January 2024 the family decided on the R15 000 ransom demand and made the payment via e-wallet. On 10 January 2024 the afternoon, the captive came back home and admitted that he and his friend staged the kidnapping as they wanted to extort money from his family. He further stated that he used the rent money for gambling,’’ said Captain F.C van Wyk.

The suspect is currently detained at Philippi East Police Station.

 

Done by: Mitchum George