Six of the nine men accused of kidnapping 62-year-old Tracey Fourie made their first appearance in the Gqeberha magistrate’s court on Monday morning, where they claimed to have been assaulted by the police.
In a major breakthrough into kidnappings in the city, a total of nine suspects were arrested during a Hawks-led operation just days after Fourie was set free by her abductors.
They were allegedly caught with the ransom money in their possession.
Mthetho Ntleko, 46, Mzameni Matyunza, 51, Malibongwe Dayile, 33, Nyaniso Sabundla, 51, Aviwe Twatwa, 26, and Tamsanka Matlabe, 24, took briefly to the dock following their arrests on August 25.
After informing the court that they had allegedly been assaulted during their arrests, state prosecutor Dail Andrews responded that while they did not show any physical injuries, they would need to be referred to a district surgeon for a thorough examination.
Fourie, a single mother, was abducted while driving home from work. She was held captive for about a week.
The Hawks said she was released after the swift and co-ordinated efforts of a dedicated kidnapping task team, working closely with specialised SA Police Service units and private security partners.
Fourie was medically examined and found to be in good health before being safely reunited with her family.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Avele Fumba said information on the remaining three suspects could not be divulged at this stage as investigations were continuing.
The case was postponed to September 3 for a date for a formal bail application to be arranged.
The accused remain in custody.
The Herald
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