Cape Town – Three suspects are expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday for the kidnapping of a Cape Town lawyer.
Police were alerted to the lawyer’s disappearance on Friday when his wife reported her husband missing after he failed to return home from work.
According to the provincial police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, Bellville detectives began to investigate.
“After consultation with the missing person’s business partner and secretary, they visited the offices and found that the office was in many ways disturbed and certain items were also missing.
“They found a file on the desk that would be of vital importance in their investigation as it gave direct links to pursue.
“The investigating team immediately launched a manhunt in a bid to locate the missing person. They proceeded to the address of a female in Yale Road, in Belhar, who visited the practice the previous day,” Swartbooi said.
He said the woman’s husband could not account for her whereabouts.
“Witnesses that were questioned in the vicinity placed the female on the crime scene when they confirmed that she was driving a white motor vehicle, believed to be the victim’s motor vehicle, with an unknown man and two occupants,” Swartbooi said.
Detectives followed up leads they got from information on the lawyer’s desk and found another address, in Klawer, outside Cape Town.
The information was circulated to police in the West Coast region.
“Klawer police spotted the vehicle at an address in their policing precinct and entered the house where they rescued the missing person. They then arrested and detained a male and two females on a charge of kidnapping,” Swartbooi added.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed that the suspects were expected to make their first court appearance in Bellville.
IOL