Seven men linked to the kidnapping of an 18-year-old Wits University student in Johannesburg have been arrested.
This after the men lured the student to a date on Gridnr, a dating site for the LGBTQI+ community.
According to police, the suspects were arrested in Denver, eastern Johannesburg on Wednesday night after they demanded R30 000 ransom from the student’s family.
The suspects were found with three knives and the student’s personal items.
The police said the student went missing on Tuesday and his roommate reported him missing on the same day.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the suspects are linked to at least 85 cases in which the LGBTQI+ community members were targeted for ransom payments.
Mathe said a cellular data investigation led the police to an ATM at which one of the suspects was expected to withdraw the ransom money on the M2 Road.
After some time observing the area, the police placed the suspect under arrest as soon as he arrived.
“He then led the police to Denver men’s hostel, where the victim was found bound and unconscious,” added Mathe.
“Six more suspects were arrested, and the victim was rushed to the hospital for medical attention.”
All seven men will be charged with kidnapping and extortion, and they will be appearing in court soon.
Meanwhile, in August, Isabel Ndlovu – a 23-year-old College of Cape Town student – was kidnapped and held captive in a shack with another woman before she was released.
She was kidnapped while walking home to Khayelitsha from college during the taxi strike.
Ndlovu has been seeing a professional for counselling because of the trauma from the ordeal.
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