A 42-year-old suspect appeared in the Durban's Magistrates Court on Tuesday on suspicions of extortion following his arrest in Cornubia, north of Durban on Friday last week.
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A 42-year-old man arrested on extortion charges appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday following his capture in Cornubia, north of Durban, last Friday.
According to South African Police Service (SAPS) KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza, the suspect is accused of demanding protection fees from a local security company and threatening its employees.
Magwaza said the suspect allegedly contacted the company owner in January, demanding payment and warning that workers would be killed if his demands were not met. The owner reportedly ignored the threats and opened a case at Durban Central police station.
“In the same month, three security officers employed by the company were killed, and the threatening phone calls persisted,” Magwaza said.
He added that the company owner eventually succumbed to the pressure and deposited the money demanded by the suspect.
Following an investigation by Crime Intelligence, information was passed to the Provincial Task Team and the Durban Metropolitan Police Tactical Team, who traced the suspect to Cornubia.
Police conducted a raid in the area on Friday, leading to the suspect’s arrest. He is currently facing charges of extortion.
Investigations into the murders of the three security guards are ongoing.