Kidnappers take boy on terror ride
A group of foreigners had allegedly arranged for the boy to be kidnapped as they were apparently unhappy that his father had started a new business at a shopping complex in Fordsburg.
While the parents declined to comment on the incident, a source close the investigation said the child was kidnapped from an after-care facility in Newtown on Friday afternoon.
“Four foreign men travelling in a silver Toyota Corolla grabbed him from outside the school and took him on a terror ride through Johannesburg. One of the kidnappers, believed to be a Nigerian national, contacted the boy’s father and told him that they had his son. They demanded cash of up to half a million rand.”
The source said the father had contacted him for help.
“When I arrived at the man’s home he received a second call informing him to bring the money to Sophiatown. He was instructed to come alone. No police or any type of security, and if they spotted police they told the father they would kill his son.”
The source said the father was concerned about the safety of his son and chose to go alone.
“He put the money into a bag and then left. I followed him for a bit with my team. As he got closer to the drop- off zone we stood down. He walked up to the kidnappers and handed the money to them.”
He said within a split second the men grabbed the money, handed the child to his father and fled in another vehicle.
“Despite searching for them we could not locate the kidnappers. The child was shaken up. This ordeal has taken a toll on the entire family and they have since beefed up their security. The father is thankful that the child was not harmed.”
The source said the father believed the kidnapping was linked to a new shop he had opened in a complex.
“The kidnappings of businessmen by Pakistanis, Somalis and Nigerians were at one point on a rise but now it seems like children are being targeted. These syndicates are so desperate to extort money from businessman they will go to any lengths.”
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