An Eastern Cape jewellery store owner is grateful to be alive after he was kidnapped, beaten, driven around East London and Mdantsane in his own car, forced to withdraw R40000 and finally dumped in the wilderness about 80km from home.
Moses Husaine, 32, was abducted at 7.30pm outside his Bunker’s Hill home on Thursday.
Friday morning found him walking 3km on a gravel road to reach the N6 near Stutterheim to hitch a ride.
He arrived home at 6.15am after the worst night of his life.
At the start of the ordeal, he was with two friends but they managed to escape separately.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi, who identified the friends only as Bereket and Semene, said the three had come from Husaine’s business premises, Best Ever Jewellery, in Terminus Street, in the East London CBD in Husaine’s white BMW 520d and arrived in Bunker’s Hill where they were ambushed by three armed assailants hiding in a hedge next to the gate of his Turnberry Street apartment.
Numerous attempts to get comment from Husaine and his two friends were fruitless yesterday.
However, his brother Betty Teffera, told the Dispatch Husaine was the sole owner of the jewellery store.
“They pointed firearms at the three, overpowered them and forced the victims to drive off at gunpoint,” said Mbi.
Narrating the drama which resembled scenes from a Hollywood heist movie, Mbi said the three were driven to bushes near NU6 in Mdantsane and assaulted.
“They were tied up, but one managed to escape before 9pm and went to a local filling station where he hitched a ride back to East London.”
Mbi said the thugs locked Husaine’s other friend in the boot of the car and tied Husaine up in the back seat before driving towards East London.
“The man in the boot managed to unlock it from the inside and jumped out at a traffic light.”
Mbi said the man, who jumped from the boot, had injured his left knee.
The kidnappers drove Husaine to his home and ransacked it looking for money.
Having no luck there, they headed to Husaine’s jewellery store and demanded the alarm pin code to deactivate it.
A smart Husaine, according to Mbi, gave the wrong password, triggering the alarm.
“They fled the scene, blindfolded Husaine and drove to a field near Marina Glen where they swapped cars, speeding off in a vehicle with three other people.”
Mbi said there were now six assailants with Husaine in the new getaway car.
They made Husaine withdraw R5000 a time from eight ATMs around the city. In total, R40000 was taken from his account.
Mbi said police believe the ATMs used to loot Husaine’s account, were in Beacon Bay and Gonubie.
Following the withdrawals, the suspects called Husaine’s brothers, asking for ransom money using Husaine’s cellphone.
Mbi said the armed gang demanded R300000 for Husaine’s safe return home.
By the time some of these calls were made, top police investigators had already converged at Husaine’s house.
Mbi said cases of kidnapping and armed robbery were being investigated by the Cambridge police. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
Jewellery store owner’s night from hell
Moses Husaine, 32, was abducted at 7.30pm outside his Bunker’s Hill home on Thursday.
Friday morning found him walking 3km on a gravel road to reach the N6 near Stutterheim to hitch a ride.
He arrived home at 6.15am after the worst night of his life.
At the start of the ordeal, he was with two friends but they managed to escape separately.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi, who identified the friends only as Bereket and Semene, said the three had come from Husaine’s business premises, Best Ever Jewellery, in Terminus Street, in the East London CBD in Husaine’s white BMW 520d and arrived in Bunker’s Hill where they were ambushed by three armed assailants hiding in a hedge next to the gate of his Turnberry Street apartment.
Numerous attempts to get comment from Husaine and his two friends were fruitless yesterday.
However, his brother Betty Teffera, told the Dispatch Husaine was the sole owner of the jewellery store.
“They pointed firearms at the three, overpowered them and forced the victims to drive off at gunpoint,” said Mbi.
Narrating the drama which resembled scenes from a Hollywood heist movie, Mbi said the three were driven to bushes near NU6 in Mdantsane and assaulted.
“They were tied up, but one managed to escape before 9pm and went to a local filling station where he hitched a ride back to East London.”
Mbi said the thugs locked Husaine’s other friend in the boot of the car and tied Husaine up in the back seat before driving towards East London.
“The man in the boot managed to unlock it from the inside and jumped out at a traffic light.”
Mbi said the man, who jumped from the boot, had injured his left knee.
The kidnappers drove Husaine to his home and ransacked it looking for money.
Having no luck there, they headed to Husaine’s jewellery store and demanded the alarm pin code to deactivate it.
A smart Husaine, according to Mbi, gave the wrong password, triggering the alarm.
“They fled the scene, blindfolded Husaine and drove to a field near Marina Glen where they swapped cars, speeding off in a vehicle with three other people.”
Mbi said there were now six assailants with Husaine in the new getaway car.
They made Husaine withdraw R5000 a time from eight ATMs around the city. In total, R40000 was taken from his account.
Mbi said police believe the ATMs used to loot Husaine’s account, were in Beacon Bay and Gonubie.
Following the withdrawals, the suspects called Husaine’s brothers, asking for ransom money using Husaine’s cellphone.
Mbi said the armed gang demanded R300000 for Husaine’s safe return home.
By the time some of these calls were made, top police investigators had already converged at Husaine’s house.
Mbi said cases of kidnapping and armed robbery were being investigated by the Cambridge police. — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
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