Mthatha based Serious Organised Crime Investigation of the Hawks with Mthatha Public Order Police culminated in the arrest of a 42-year-old suspect in the early hours of 1 September 2025 for allegations of kidnapping.
His arrest emanated from an intelligence driven disruptive operation, which was conducted in a targeted homestead at Ngangelizwe in Mthatha.
The joint team executed a search warrant, which authorised the arrest of the suspect linked with kidnapping incidents.
Upon arrival at the premises, police found the suspect in his room, and was apprehended on the spot.
He is the fifth suspect in this matter, joining Ntsika Tyali (38), Mpumelelo Nyosi (41), Akhona Unathi Deyi (51) and Fundile Tyali (38) who were nabbed by the Hawks in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
The perpetrator was positively connected with the alleged kidnapping incident that occurred at Engcobo on 6 June 2024, where two victims were reportedly accosted by an unidentified armed suspect.
Apparently, the suspects barged into their homestead at Engcobo and pointed them with firearms. Further allegations revealed that the victims were forced into unknown vehicles to an unknown location and later, a ransom was demanded by the suspects.
During the said incident, the suspects reportedly took the victim’s bank card and pin numbers, where they allegedly withdrew cash in tranches and purchased expensive clothing from various retail stores, as a result the victims suffered a loss of over R1.5 million.
Due to the pressure exerted upon the suspects by the investigating team, the victims were released a couple of days later.
The suspect is expected to make his first court appearance before Engcobo Magistrate’s Court on 2 September 2025.
