A 23-year-old woman has appeared in the Qonce Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape, facing charges of kidnapping in connection with a violent abduction that took place in April.
According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), the woman is believed to have orchestrated the kidnapping of a 32-year-old man who was abducted on 5 April in the Schonville location, Qonce.
Hawks provincial spokesperson, Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, said the victim was confronted by armed suspects, stabbed, and forced into the boot of a vehicle. His car, a Volkswagen Golf 7 GTI, was hijacked during the incident and later found abandoned and burnt near the Bisho off-ramp on the N2.
“The victim was held hostage for several days while suspects demanded his cellphone, bank card, and PIN codes,” said Mhlakuvana. “An investigation revealed that money was withdrawn from his accounts during his captivity.”
The case was handed over to the Hawks’ Interim Kidnapping Task Team, which launched an intelligence-led operation. Their efforts, supported by the local community, led investigators to the homestead where the victim had been held. This resulted in the arrest of the 23-year-old suspect, who was positively linked to the kidnapping and is believed to have played a central role in planning and executing the crime.
The Hawks say the investigation is ongoing and further arrests are expected.