A Chinese national, who was kidnapped outside his place of work in Uitenhage, Kariega in the Eastern Cape, was rescued in a multidisciplinary operation on Tuesday evening.
Lu Xian, 43, was snatched on April 10, at around 5.40pm while leaving his job at the Uitenhage shopping mall.
He was allegedly forced into a white Isuzu double cab bakkie and Xian’s VW Crafter minibus was allegedly driven off by one of the suspects.
The provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks), Captin Yolisa Mgolodela said a large team of enforcement officials conducted a joint operation.
The operation was conducted by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team of the Hawks based in Gqeberha in collaboration with Gqeberha Crime Intelligence (CI), Provincial Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) members, the Hostage Negotiating Team (HNT) and Flying Squad members.
“All the stakeholders involved in the arrest embarked on a joint operation with the objective of a safe return of the victim. On April 16, at about 7.15pm, information was received about the suspects being in an RDP house in Missionvale where the victim was found tied with chains and his face covered,” Mgolodela said.
“Three suspects aged between 31 and 41 were arrested on the spot. The victim was rescued without the payment of the ransom. A 9mm pistol, a shotgun, a Renault Triber, and an Isuzu double cab bakkie were seized during the operation.”
The suspects are expected to appear in the Uitenhage Magistrate’s Court on Friday, April 19.
Head of the Hawks in the Eastern Cape, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya expressed his delight at the success of the joint team as this might lead to the unlocking of more kidnapping cases currently being investigated.
IOL