A man has been arrested for allegedly faking his own kidnapping to go gambling.
Jose man has been arrested for allegedly staging his own kidnapping because he wanted money to go gambling.
Police spokesperson Capt Frederick van Wyk said the 25-year-old left the family home in the Betterlife section of Philippi East early on January 2 with the rent money, which he was supposed to pay into a Shoprite account.
His brother contacted police later that day after receiving a ransom demand. He had been at work and only switched on his phone at 6pm.
“He found a message indicating his brother had been kidnapped and the suspects were demanding a ransom amount of between R4,000 and R5,000 for his safe return. They said they took the [rent] money and the cellphone of the captive and were in the Khayelitsha area.
“Later, the wife of the complainant also received a message from a different number saying she must deposit the requested amount to this number. The ransom demand amount was increased to R15,000.”
On January 9, the family paid via e-wallet after raising the money.
The next afternoon, the “captive” returned home and allegedly “admitted he and his friend staged the kidnapping as they wanted to extort money from his family”, Van Wyk said.
“He stated he used the rent money for gambling.”
He is scheduled to appear in the Athlone magistrate’s court on Friday.
