Published: 2010/05/30 21:04:22
MELODY BRANDON
JOHANNESBURG - The six Nigerian nationals accused of kidnapping and torturing a Brazilian businessman will appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court today.
While the name of the man is known to The Citizen, the Hawks do not want it or his photo published.
“We still want this man to come back to the country to testify. If you publish his photograph and name, it will jeopardise the case,” said Hawks spokesman Musa Zondi yesterday.
The man, who was badly burnt on his chest, stomach and feet by a hot iron posted an emotional message on his Twitter page on Saturday.
“For all those who helped me with prayers, yes, there is a God and without divine intervention, this would have ended tragically.”
His previous message was optimistic about his business trip to South Africa. Little could he imagine the horror that awaited him.
“At the office, this will be a busy week. There are jobs to do and an international trip coming up!” he posted on May 17.
However, instead of concluding a business deal, the man was captured, kept at a house in Kensington, east of Johannesburg, and tortured.
The Brazilian victim was the second man to be lured into the country on a bogus business deal.
The first, a South Korean businessman, also came to the country to “conclude a business deal”.
Under the impression that he had concluded a deal to transport concrete to Iraq, his company paid his captors $70 000 (about R534 000).
Released by his captors on May 19, he gave police information about his ordeal.
They surveyed the house and rescued the Nigerians’s second victim early on Thursday morning.
It is not known if the man has returned to Brazil or is still in the country.
“He is now in the care of the Brazilian embassy,” said Zondi.
The embassy was not available for comment at the time of going to print.
melodyb@citizen.co.za
Related Stories
crime
Nigeria
kidnapping
torturing
Brazilian
court
The Citizen
Comments by Sonny
Nigerians do not only deal in drugs in SA!
No comments:
Post a Comment