Zahraa Mohammed, 17, and Hafez Mohammed Bataviya, 19, were freed from their captors weeks after they were kidnapped outside a Brits primary school.
Zahraa Mohammed, Hafez Mohammed Bataviya kidnapping: Here’s the latest
According to reports, 20 days into their abduction, North West police made a breakthrough with the arrest of four suspects whose identities remain unknown at this time.
Authorities have remained mum about the details of the multidisciplinary operation, careful not to compromise a case that will certainly not be a walk in the park for state prosecutors.
However, from what we understand, a trail of hot leads and tip-offs led police to a property in the province where the two teens were held.
Fortunately, both Zahraa and Hafez were unharmed 20 days into their abduction.
It’s believed the teens were rushed to a nearby hospital for a full medical checkup, where they will be reconnected with their respective families.
Right now, at least four suspects are in custody and are expected to make their first court appearance as soon as police formally complete a charge sheet for handover to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Zahraa and Hafez were brazenly abducted right in front of a local primary school on Wednesday, 6 March 2024.
According to provincial spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani, the pair were en route from Hafez’s home to their school in Hartbeesportdam.
However, their journey was abruptly halted when their Mercedes Benz was rear-ended by a maroon Audi A3, effectively forcing them to stop.
What followed was a scene straight out of a nightmare: two armed men emerged from the Audi A3 and coerced the cousins into a white Volkswagen Polo GTI waiting behind the Audi.
These suspects, along with the kidnapped cousins, then made a swift getaway in the Polo GTI, leaving behind the Mercedes and the Audi A3 at the scene of the kidnapping.
A formal statement from North West police is expected soon.
This is a developing story.
