Simon Majadibodu|Published
A 37-year-old woman and her accomplice have been arrested for allegedly staging her own kidnapping in Kwa-Thema, Gauteng, to extort R40, 000 from her cousin.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the suspects were arrested on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
Nevhuhulwi said they were arrested following intensive investigations by Kwa-Thema detectives, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and Crime Intelligence.
“Investigations revealed that the woman allegedly conspired with her accomplice to stage the kidnapping in an attempt to extort money from her cousin,” Nevhuhulwi said.
She said the suspects were expected to appear in court on charges of defeating the ends of justice, extortion and staging a crime scene.
Police warned members of the public against making false reports or staging criminal incidents, saying such actions divert critical resources from genuine cases and undermine efforts to combat crime and protect communities.
“Members of the public are further urged to use police services responsibly and provide truthful information when reporting criminal incidents,” Nevhuhulwi said.
Victim found with injuries
Earlier, police announced on Sunday, October 11, that a woman reported kidnapped in Kwa-Thema had been found alive after a ransom demand of R40,000.
The woman was found on Saturday, October 10, along Vlakfontein Road, near Marikana informal settlement.
Nevhuhulwi said the kidnapping was reported to police on Thursday, October 8, by a family member after the suspects allegedly used the woman’s cellphone to demand the ransom.
“On Saturday, October 10, 2026, the suspects reportedly contacted the family again and indicated that they would drop off the victim at Vlakfontein Road,” she said.
Police officers, accompanied by the family, went to the location, where the woman was found with injuries to her hands.
She was taken to hospital for medical treatment.
Cellphones seized during investigation
At the time of the initial report, no arrests had been made.
However, police had seized cellphones from three persons of interest as part of the investigation.
The subsequent arrests followed further investigations by detectives and specialist police units, which allegedly uncovered the plan to stage the kidnapping and demand money from the woman’s cousin.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
IOL News