North West police, through a multi-disciplinary team tasked to investigate the movie-style kidnapping of two cousins — Zahraa Mohammed, 17, and Bataviya Mohammed, 19, — arrested two more suspects including a police officer.
The learners were kidnapped on March 6, in a dramatic, movie-style abduction involving several vehicles, while they were on their way to school in the morning.
IOL reported the cousins were rescued on Monday evening, March 25, from a house at New Stands, Klipgat near Winterveldt and Mabopane. In the process of locating the victims, members of the multi-disciplinary team arrested six suspects.
North West provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said a seventh suspect; 48-year-old Humphrey Martin, was arrested in the early hours of March 8, at Naturena, in Johannesburg.
In the latest update, police said the two additional suspects nabbed for the kidnapping of the cousins include a police detective.
Two of the six people arrested during the rescue on Monday night have however been cleared and released, said Mokgwabone.
“The suspects include a police sergeant attached to Letlhabile detectives (outside Brits). The team also confiscated a vehicle, which was allegedly used during the commission of the crime,” said Mokgwabone.
“The number of arrested suspects remains at six. This after two of the initial six suspects arrested on Monday, March 25, were cleared and released after thorough interviews.”
The six suspects arrested this week are expected to appear before the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Martin, the first suspect to be arrested, has appeared before the Brits Magistrate’s Court three times this month, including on Monday.
“He remains in custody and is expected to appear again on Monday, April 8, for formal bail application,” Mokgwabone said previously.
He said after the rescue, the the cousins were examined by paramedics at Klipgat police station's victims-friendly room (VFR) and found to be in “a good state of health except for exhaustion and trauma”.
The teenagers were safely reunited with their families, without any visible injuries.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena has welcomed the latest round of arrests, particularly the arrest of a police officer, which he said will serve as an indication that no one is above the law.
Kwena also vowed that no stone will be left unturned in the ongoing efforts to ensure that all the alleged perpetrators are brought to book.
“Tarnishing of the South African Police Service’s image by unethical employees will not be tolerated,” he said.
When the kidnapping happened, IOL reported that the kidnappers bumped the vehicle, a Mercedes Benz which was transporting the teenagers to school.
A maroon Audi A3 was used to crash into the Mercedes Benz, forcing it to stop.
“The said Audi A3 was reportedly stolen in Garsfontein in March. It is further alleged that two armed men got out of a white Volkswagen Polo GTI and ordered the cousins to get into the VW Polo. The driver of the Audi got into a Toyota Hilux allegedly driven by Humphrey Martin,” said Mokgwabone.
The assailants then fled from the crime scene, with the kidnapped teenagers in the white VW Polo.
The Mercedes Benz and the Audi A3 vehicles were abandoned at the crime scene.
The arrested suspects are facings charges of kidnapping and extortion.
IOL