A suspect arrested for the hijacking and kidnapping of a British national appeared in the Robertson Magistrate’s Court in the Western Cape on Monday.
John Mosimanegape Mokgosi, 39, from Ashton, has been formally charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping.
State Prosecutor, Heinrich Swarts, said Mokgosi was only appearing on preliminary charges.
Bail was opposed for his release and the State asked for Mokgosi to be remanded in custody.
This comes after a multidisciplinary task team operation led to the rescuing of a kidnapped victim, an 84-year-old British woman, at the weekend.
The Anti-Kidnapping Task Team comprised of members from the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit, Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks) and Crime Intelligence.
A case of hijacking and kidnapping was opened on Friday, October 4 at the Robertson police station.
The incident occurred on Friday at about 12.10pm on the La Chasseur Road in Robertson.
Intelligence led to the location of the victim on Saturday, October 5 at about 9.40am where she was held in an unoccupied shack in Zwelethemba in Worcester. She was immediately taken to a medical facility for observation.
Police made no arrests during the rescue of the kidnapped victim.
The case against Mokgosi has been postponed until October 14, for his attorney to come on record.
The court ordered he be remanded in custody.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL