Five people, including a policeman and a reservist, charged with kidnapping and assaulting a Zimbabwean man appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

The case was postponed to April 1 for their bail application, police spokesman Inspector Moses Maphakela said.

They were arrested on Wednesday after allegedly demanding the Zimbabwean pay them R50 000 and hand over his Audi A4 in return for his release.

The man had arranged to meet one of the suspects at a Nando's restaurant in Savoy Estate, Johannesburg on Tuesday night.

"The victim had only arranged to meet one man, but when he arrived, he saw there were four others present. They told him to get in the car. He refused and tried to run away."


The gang chased the man and forced him into the car before driving him to a house in Alexandra. The victim was forced to phone his uncle to ask him to arrange a R50 000 ransom payment.

The uncle reported the kidnapping to the Bramley police station. The five were arrested in the parking lot at Balfour Park shopping centre while trying to get their ransom.

A 27-year-old constable from Randburg police station and a 56-year-old police reservist from Alexandra are among the accused. Both were carrying state-issued firearms.

By SAPA