Durban – A 47-year-old woman from Phoenix is set to appear in the Verulam Maigstrate’s Court after she allegedly staged her own kidnapping.
Police investigation showed that the woman faked and staged the kidnapping in order to demand a ransom from her businessman husband.
Police received a complaint that a woman was kidnapped from her home in Phoenix on Monday afternoon, police spokesperson Colonel Robert Matshiunda said.
“It was reported that the woman had left the business premises to use a restroom at her home which is situated a short distance from the business premises.
“Few moments later, her husband received a phone call from her, reporting that she was kidnapped and pleaded with him to deposit an undisclosed amount of money for her release,” Matshiunda said.
Later, the husband received another call from a man who threatened to hurt the woman if the money was not paid, he said.
#sapsKZN Police have arrested a Phoenix woman (47) after investigations proved that she had staged her own fake kidnapping and demanded ransom from her businessman husband. She was charged with perjury. NP https://t.co/yVLH5EDn6r pic.twitter.com/0lPaYrsJSP
— SA Police Service ?? (@SAPoliceService) April 4, 2023
Police investigations revealed that the woman had faked her own kidnapping and was duly charged with perjury.
According to IOL, it was alleged that the woman was found at a Bed and Breakfast in Pietermaritzburg with all her jewellery, which she claimed was taken by the kidnappers inside her handbag.
An incident report also alleged that there was a video footage that showed the woman gambling at a casino in Pietermaritzburg while her husband was searching for her, the report said.
The husband also found his wife’s car abandoned and the amount for her release was set at R2 million but later reduced to R400 000. He also revealed that it was not the first time he had had to pay a ransom for his wife after she was “kidnapped”.
He revealed that he once paid R30 000, which he did not report to the police.
Netshiunda said that faking a kidnap was a serious crime.
“Kidnapping is not a matter to joke about and police have been working hard and stretching resources in a quest to prevent kidnapping which has seen a slight increase of late,” he said.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
