Rustenburg – A 43-year-old Zimbabwean businessman who had been on the run for kidnapping and robbery was arrested at an upmarket hotel in Sandton on Thursday.
Frank Buyanga Sadiqi was arrested by Interpol South Africa through the assistance of the SAPS’s National Intervention Unit (NIU) in an early morning raid.
He is wanted by the Zimbabwean authorities for kidnapping, robbery and three counts of contempt of court.
“The charges emanate from an incident which took place in April 2020 in Zimbabwe where the suspect kidnapped his next of kin and fled with him to South Africa.
“A warrant of arrest was immediately issued by Zimbabwean authorities after which a red notice was also issued by Interpol Harare,” national police spokesperson, Colonel Athlenda Mathe, said in a statement.
She said Sadiqi appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. The case against him was postponed to November 17 for a formal bail application.
Zimbabwe Independent, a weekly business newspaper, reported that Sadiqi was wanted in Zimbabwe for child trafficking, forgery and violation of the Immigration Act.
According to the newspaper, Sadiqi had been involved in a child custody battle with his estranged girlfriend, Chantelle Tatenda Muteswa for years.
He reportedly left Zimbabwe with the child illegally. He was later listed on Interpol’s Red Notice.
IOL