A group of men appeared at the Booysens magistrate’s court this week after they were nabbed on Sunday for targeting members of the public based on their sexual orientation.
The suspects – Thabo Ndlovu, Ndumiso Mahlangu, Sibusiso Tshabalala and Elson Nyati – aged between 25 and 33, have been charged with hijacking, kidnapping and extortion.
They lured and terrorised the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community members by utilising a dating app designed for this community. The victims would be lured to secluded places, kidnapped and then robbed of personal belongings.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, a 26-year-old victim was speaking to one of the suspects (on a dating app) on Sunday when the suspect lured his victim to an area where a hijacking took place.
The kidnapped victim was also robbed of personal belongings including bank cards, which the group used to purchase several items.
“As soon as the matter was reported to the police in Mondeor, the anti-kidnapping task team operationalised the information and swooped in on the four men who were meeting at a restaurant in Parktown, Johannesburg,” said Mathe.
They were found with the victim’s belongings including bank cards, wallet, bag and cellphones. Mathe said a search for the victim’s hijacked vehicle continues.
Mathe said: “The victim was rescued and has since been reunited with his family. All the role players involved in working together with members of the police to take down this syndicate are appreciated, and they are JMPD [Johannesburg Metro Police Department] K9, Gauteng traffic police, Tracker Connect and members of the private security industry.”
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