Phuthaditjhaba ‘kidnappers caught red-handed’ after holding woman hostage!

A 30-year-old woman was rescued by The Phuthaditjhaba Tactical Response Team, Welkom Public Order Police and Phuthaditjhaba K9 Unit, this comes after the victim was held hostage at SanPark near the river.

According to police spokesperson Mmako Mophiring, “two men in balaclavas approached the two Golden Gate SanPark employees while they were inspecting cut fences near Basotho Cultural Village.”

“The perpetrators appeared to be seeking assistance. Suddenly, one of them pointed a gun at them and demanded their cellphones and money.

However, they did not have any money, the man was instructed by the suspects to go and withdraw some cash while they held his colleague hostage until he returned,” said Mophiring.

“They waited for him in a nearby bushy area. Mophiring further added that local police were notified about the situation in the veld by the driver who went to withdraw cash, and they used tactics to approach the suspects,” Mophiring added.

Others were on foot, while others were mobile. The suspects were caught off gut by the police, and one started firing at the police, and they responded with fire and one suspect was shot in the leg in the process.

“As a result, both suspects were arrested, and the woman was rescued without serious injury. Their cellphones have been recovered and both suspects taken into custody. A firearm with a filed-off serial number has been seized from the suspects along with a knife,” detailed Mophiring.

They have been charged with kidnapping, robbery and extortion and are scheduled to appear in the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrate Court on Monday, 26 June.

An attempted murder case against the police shooting will be carried up by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).