Cape Town — South African Police Services (SAPS) have confirmed that they have located the two cousins who went missing in Brits in the North West earlier this month.
A multi-disciplinary team comprising of the Provincial Organised Crime, Head Office Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Bojanala Platinum Sub-District 2 Task Team and Brits Crime Intelligence worked tirelessly to find Zahraa Mohammed (17) and Bataviya Mohammed (19), who went missing on 6 March 2024. They were found late on Monday evening (25 March) in a house at New Stands, Klipgat near Winterveldt and Mabopane, a SAPS statement read.
“n the process of locating the victims, the determined team arrested six suspects. The seventh suspect; Humphrey Martin, aged 48, was arrested in the early hours of Friday morning, 8 March 2024, at Naturena, in Johannesburg. He has already appeared in the Brits Magistrates’ Court on 11, 18, and 25 March 2024. He remains in custody and is expected to appear again on Monday, 8 April 2024, for formal bail application.” Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said.
#sapsNW [UPDATE] North West Provincial Commissioner commends multi-disciplinary team for working tirelessly to arrest suspects and locate #kidnapped cousins. Suspects arrested. MEhttps://t.co/WTQnKmOtjx pic.twitter.com/99szgxKpkh
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) March 26, 2024
The victims were assessed by paramedics and were found to be in good health except for exhaustion and trauma. They were reunited with their families without any visible injuries.
At the time of the kidnapping, it was reported that the suspects bumped into the victim’s car with a reportedly stolen Audi A3, forcing it to stop. Two armed men got out of a white VW Polo GTI and ordered the cousins to get into the car.
The driver of the Audi jumped into a Toyota Hilux, driven by Martin, and the suspects fled the scene. The cousins’ Mercedes-Benz and the Audi were found at the crime scene.
The suspects are expected to appear before the Brits Magistrates’ Court soon, facing two counts of kidnapping and extortion.
Provincial Commissioner of Police in North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, expressed his gratitude to the multi-disciplinary team for their relentless efforts, which led to the finding of the victims and the arrest of the suspects. He indicated that the arrests will without doubt, sound a warning that those who commit crimes have no place to hide in society and will be exposed as it happened in this case.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
