Hawks rescue 13-year-old kidnap victim at Ntuzuma

The Hawks and other police units have rescued a 13-year-old boy who was kidnapped in Inanda north of Durban. The boy was snatched earlier this week on his way to school.

KwaZulu-Natal Hawks spokesperson Simphiwe Mhlongo says the suspects demanded a million rand ransom from the boy’s mother.

He says the family paid the kidnappers R90 000, but the boy was not released. A joint police investigation led to the arrest of two suspects.

Mhlongo says the boy was found in a shack in Ntuzuma north of Durban.

“Arrested two suspects for kidnapping. It is alleged that the 13-year-old victim was on his way to school when he was jumping in the combi, suddenly the suspects’ vehicle stopped and took him and they also took the driver and put him in the boot of the car. They later released the driver in eMachobeni. They then made a phone call to the mother demanding 1 million rand ransom and the mother reported the matter to the police and Hawks were alerted.”

“Ninety thousand rand was paid to the suspects but they never released the victim. The search continued up until the two were arrested. Their arrest led to the rescue of the child who was found in one of the shacks in Ntuzuma,” says Mhlongo.