Nine-year-old Emaan Fatima, who was abducted while walking home from Dreamland Primary School in Buffalo Flats, East London, has been safely reunited with her family.
Emaan Fatima released: Here’s everything we know
She was released after her parents paid a ransom, bringing an end to a harrowing ordeal that gripped both the Pakistani and local communities.
Emaan was kidnapped on Tuesday, 4 February 2025, when unknown men in a Toyota Corolla snatched her while she was walking with her brother.
The terrified child appeared in a video that surfaced online, pleading for help:
“Come and get me please, I don’t want to stay here anymore.”
Her father, a grocery store owner and the proprietor of the school she attends received the video, prompting immediate action from law enforcement and community members.
Emaan was released early on Wednesday morning, just hours before the Pakistani and local community were set to stage a march outside her school, demanding justice and action from authorities.
The Pakistan South Africa Association East London confirmed that her parents had paid a ransom, though the exact amount remains undisclosed.
The latest on the investigation
Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of Emaan’s abduction and release. The case has sparked concern over a rise in kidnappings in the region, particularly targeting children of business owners.
This is not an isolated incident. Just last month, another child was abducted in Dimbaza, with kidnappers demanding R1 million before settling for a R200,000 ransom.
Despite the child leading police to the location where they were held, no arrests were made.
Police are yet to confirm whether suspects have been identified or if arrests are imminent in Emaan’s case.