An Eastern Cape woman is expected to appear in the Gelvandale Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on charges of kidnapping.
The 44-year-old woman was arrested on Monday, January 8. The woman is alleged to have kidnapped her boyfriend’s 18-year-old son.
The provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks), Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the woman had been arrested by members of the Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in Gqeberha, Crime Intelligence (CI), Bethersdorp detectives and the Gqeberha hostage negotiators.
“On Sunday, January 7, the suspect allegedly called the 18-year-old victim pretending to be taking him out as she used to. The suspect allegedly happened to be the girlfriend of the victim’s father,” Mhlakuvana said.
“The victim reportedly came to the suspect’s vehicle, a white VW Golf 7 GTI and she drove away with him to an unknown place. The matter was reported to the nearest police station for investigation.”
The following day, a preliminary investigation by the team led to the arrest of the suspect.
Mhlakuvana said pressure by the investigating team led to the safe return of the teenager.
“Further investigation exposed that the suspect allegedly conceded that she handed over the victim to her acquaintances,” Mhlakuvana said.
“Furthermore, the reports divulged that the victim was kept for a few hours by his kidnappers, and due to the pressure exerted on the kidnappers by the team, the victim was later released. The VW Golf 7 GTI which was used during the kidnapping was recovered abandoned and confiscated.”
The woman will make her first court appearance.
The head of the Hawks in the Eastern Cape, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya praised the investigating team for their incredible efforts to ensure the suspect faces the full might of the law.