Western Cape Police arrested four men on Tuesday for being part of an extortion syndicate.
According to police reports, during an interview with an attempted murder suspect, he tipped off Gugulethu police detectives about the syndicate and where they hid their firearms.
“The information was given to the SAPS Crime Prevention Unit, which immediately went to the the address provided by the suspect,” police said.
Officers found two suspects at the house and confiscated a 9mm pistol with seven rounds of ammunition. Further probing led police to a second address where two more suspects were found in possession of a 9mm pistol without a serial number. The four were arrested for extortion, possession of prohibited firearms and illegal possession of ammunition. Once charged, they will appear before the Athlone Magistrate’s Court.
Madlanga Commission
In a separate matter related to extortion rackets in South Africa, WhatsApp messages presented to the Madlanga Commission detailed allegations that taxi bosses Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni and Bafana “King of the Sky” Sindane used threats, intimidation and the prospect of violent disruption to extract money from businessmen operating in Mpumalanga.
The allegations were made by businessman Dr Tengane Thomas Ntuli, who opened a R2 million extortion case against Sibanyoni and Sindane. According to his affidavit, the two told him that the land on which his company was completing a government tender was theirs and he would have to pay a “protection fee” to ensure his operations continued without interference.
zainul.dawood@iol.co.za
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