DURBAN – A child positively identified the four Moti brothers which led to the boys reuniting with their family, three weeks after they were kidnapped, national police spokesperson, Brigadier Vish Naidoo said on Thursday.
Speaking to eNCA, Naidoo said the boys were dropped off in Vuwani on Wednesday night, just over 100 kilometres from their home in Limpopo.
He said the boys were dropped off between 10pm and 11pm.
“They made their way to the first house they found and fortunately one of the children in that house immediately recognised the children as being the four boys reported as missing or abducted. They asked their parents to assist by calling the police and we were able to reunite the children with their parents,” he said.
In an earlier statement, Naidoo said Zia, Alaan, Zayyad and little Zidan Moti were on their way to school in Polokwane at around 7am on Wednesday, October 20, when they were taken at gunpoint by their abductors.
He said a group of men with rifles and handguns cornered their vehicle and forcefully removed them.
“On Wednesday night the police in Vuwani received a call from a local resident saying that the children arrived at their house saying they were dropped off on a nearby road,” he said.
Naidoo said SAPS arranged a doctor who confirmed that the children are in good health before they were handed over to their parents.
“The children also appeared to be in high spirits during the reunion with their parents.
“The children have not yet been interviewed. Investigators will arrange for the SAPS psychologists to assist with that,” Naidoo said.
He said police are investigating a case of kidnapping.
“Generally, in a live kidnapping case, we never speak about it in fear of this potentially placing the lives of the children at risk. But I can tell you now that we are still investigating a case of kidnapping,” he said.
Police are appealing to anyone who can assist with information to arrest the kidnappers to contact the police.
Information can be communicated via the SAPS Crime Stop number 086 00 10111 or via MySAPSApp. All information will be treated with strictest confidence and callers may remain anonymous.
The Moti family has meanwhile thanked the SA community for their prayers.
“We are thankful that they were set free and when we received a phone call to fetch the children we rushed to the scene full of hope. All of South Africa supported us and we want to thank one and all for their support and kind prayers. We are looking forward to healing as a family and will appreciate some privacy for a while. We will talk to the media within a few days,” the family said.
IOL