Kidnapping for ransom – part two: top cop ‘tried to extort money from family’

A victim’s son relives the 17 days in which his father was missing that led to a colonel appearing in court

24 February 2022 - 19:37 By Tankiso Makhetha and Graeme Hosken

TimesLIVE Investigations found South African kidnapping-for-ransom syndicates emerged after gaining experience from their Mozambican counterparts, who started the scourge.

Rupha Natha was going about his life at his spice shop in Newtown, Johannesburg, oblivious of the drama that was about to unfold. Suddenly, two men grabbed him and tried to drag him to a nearby vehicle.

Screaming for help, Natha clung onto a fruit stand at the entrance to his shop until a third burly man, armed with a handgun, bear-hugged him from behind, lifting him off the ground and bundling him into a getaway vehicle. ..

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