Cape Town - Eight men alleged to have been involved in operating a kidnapping and extortion syndicate targeting Chinese foreign nationals appeared in the Bellville Regional Court on Monday where the matter was postponed to August 29 for a pre-trial conference.
Zukilo Tiko, Sixolile Duku, Yonga Chithilali, Tawanda Mapasure, Freedom Moyo, Ntiskelelo Nkontshe, Lungisani Cezula and Suyanda Mini have been charged with 33 counts under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca) for kidnapping, extortion, attempted extortion, assault, robbery with aggravating circumstances and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
It is alleged that the eight worked together between August and October 2020 in a pattern of criminal gang activity by kidnapping a number of Chinese nationals across Cape Town and holding them captive for ransom.
The case against the accused stems from five kidnappings that took place in the areas of Delft, Ottery, Goodwood, Kensington and Cape Town CBD with at least six people being held captive for ransom.
The most recent incident took place on September 25, 2020, when two women were held at gunpoint at a supermarket in Delft, taken from their vehicle to another and transported to Barcelona Informal settlement in Nyanga.
The two were bound with restraints while the accused allegedly demanded a ransom of R10 million to be paid for their release. While the women were held captive, they were threatened with rape and/or death if the ransom was not paid. The accused were arrested before the threat was actualised.
In another instance on August 17, 2020 a man was abducted from Oval Park in Kensington and taken to an unknown location where he was held until his family paid R490 000 cash on a R2 million ransom.
The matter has been postponed to August 29 for a pre-trial conference.