Three suspects appeared in Port St Johns Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, charged with kidnapping Cape Town lady Alize van der Merwe and Chinese national Xiaomei Tian, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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The three were due to file a formal bail application, but two of them chose to withdraw their bids, while the legal counsel for the third accused failed to appear.
They are accused with robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, and extortion.
On 20 September, Van der Merwe was kidnapped while on her way from Cape Town to the Umngazi Hotel & Spa in Port St Johns, Wild Coast.
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She had rented a car at East London’s King Phalo Airport and driven down the N2 to Mthatha before driving the R61 to Umngazi, where she was kidnapped.
Her leased vehicle was discovered abandoned near Umngazi.
Xiaomei was kidnapped on 17 September while driving between Barkly East and Elliot.
Her car was hijacked and is yet to be found.
The kidnappers freed the two women, who were dropped off near the Sulenkama police station in Qumbu on 26 September.
No ransom was paid to secure their release.
An earlier court judgement states that the defendants, who are 30, 32, and 36 years old, cannot be identified or photographed.
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According to News24, one of the suspects stated in court yesterday that he had engaged a private counsel, but his representative informed him that he would only appear after the State’s allegations against him were finished.
When queried about his legal representative, the accused stated that he spoke with his attorney on the phone.
Magistrate Linda Nyanga informed him that his attorney had yet to be recorded in court.
Nyanga also asked one of the accused why he was wearing a face mask in court, and he said he was terrified of appearing on television.
However, Nyanga reminded him that he would be notified when the media was permitted to broadcast court proceedings.
Prosecutor attorney GJ van der Merwe informed the court that more charges were expected to be filed against the defendants.
The accused abandoned their bail applications after learning that the State intended to bring further charges.
Also read:
Update: Alize van der Merwe safely released, receives medical care
Picture: Andre Snyman eblockwatch / Facebook
