Four men were arrested after allegedly kidnapping a young boy and demanding R75 000 ransom from his parents on Wednesday, Pretoria police said.
”The [boy’s mother] told the men to come to her office today [Wednesday] to collect the money, and at the same time, she called police,” Inspector Paul Ramaloko said.
They were arrested when they arrived at the woman’s place of work in central Pretoria at about 11am on Wednesday morning. A Toyota Corolla that the men were driving was also confiscated as it was an accessory to the crime.
The 14-year-old boy lives with his mother in a flat in Pretoria. On Sunday, he left the flat and wandered off. The four men allegedly picked the teenager up and took him to Mamelodi East where he was heavily assaulted during the night.
Ramaloko said the boy was apparently tied up and choked.
The four men called the boy’s mother and arranged a meeting at her workplace.
On Monday, she gave the four R200 when she met them at her workplace. The four men later called her to fetch her child, but when she arrived at the place, the men were not there.
However, the men had dumped her son nearby. He was taken to hospital.
The woman was contacted again, which is when she told the men to come to her workplace on Wednesday to get the rest of the money. — Sapa