Gauteng police officer and wife arrested for kidnapping, extortion of Swiss diamond dealer

JOHANNESBURG - A Gauteng police sergeant and his wife were arrested on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in a kidnapping and extorting close to R50,000 from a Swiss national last week. 

The 23-year-old victim - a registered diamond dealer from Switzerland - landed in Johannesburg on Friday to conduct a deal and purchase diamonds after seeing an advert on Facebook for the gems. 

He was picked up from his hotel in Boksburg by the seller, then driven to a home in Randfontein, where he was shown two uncut diamonds. 

It’s alleged that while the deal was taking place, two ‘police officers’ stormed in and threatened the victim with arrest and jail time should he not pay them €100,000.00 (R205,289.80). 

 The victim was then forced into a marked police van and taken to a popular fast-food outlet where he was forced to buy the officers food and drinks. 

 In trying to raise funds, the victim contacted his family for assistance. 

Sources close to the investigation confirmed they received a tip-off from Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) Pretoria about the kidnapping. 

Crime intelligence, SAPS anti-kidnapping task team and private security company, Vision Tactical, contacted the victim, who was then subsequently dropped off near his hotel by the officers and the seller. 

On Tuesday, the victim met with the investigation team, positively identifying the marked police vehicle he was forced into, a police officer from Tarlton Police Station and the home in Randfontein where he met the seller for the deal. 

The police sergeant’s wife was identified at the home as one of the suspects and placed under arrest. 

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe did not respond to queries for comment.