A 47-year-old suspect will today appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate Court for an alleged conspiracy.
The arrest on Friday by the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) came after it transpired that the suspect was allegedly planning to kidnap high profile businesspeople and their children in the Pietermaritzburg area.
“Several undercover operations were conducted where the suspect allegedly gave a detailed description of his first target, the safe house where the victim would be held as well as other electronic tools to be utilised during and after the alleged kidnapping,” Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi said in a statement.
The suspect allegedly provided detailed plans of how the kidnappings were to be executed and how to use the instruments. The plans crumbled when the Hawks and Crime Intelligence intervened timeously, Mulaudzi said.
“The suspect was arrested at his business premises last week Friday and he will be charged with conspiracy to commit a kidnapping. Additional arrests and charges are possible in the ongoing investigation,” he added. – SAnews.gov.za
