Motorist shot dead in Johannesburg linked to alleged international kidnapping syndicate

 

The motorist shot dead on the M1 highway in Johannesburg in a hit-style attack is allegedly linked to an apparent international kidnapping syndicate‚ TimesLIVE has learnt.

Majeed “Manjla” Khan was shot dead in his car at the Glenhove off-ramp on the M1 by two men on Wednesday evening.

The gunmen — who all escaped — appear to have been following Khan‚ who they attacked when he stopped in traffic near the off-ramp.

Police sources said that they shot out the tyres of the Audi A5 Khan was driving‚ before shooting him eight times in the chest‚ neck and back‚ in what they described as a “classic styled hit“.

A law enforcement source said of Khan: “His grouping was behind a number of kidnapping of foreigners‚ especially wealthy businessmen.”

Another‚ asked about a possible motive‚ said the shooting may have been a warning from a rival gang.

Police spokesman Captain Marvin Masondo said that detectives had yet to identify the killers and that the motive for the murder was still unknown.

“At this stage‚ all that we have learnt from witnesses is that there were two people involved in the shooting. We cannot rule out the possibility that there were more people on the scene who were involved.

“Ballistic evidence collected from the scene shows that they were armed with pistols.”

He said that none of the victim’s valuables were taken.

Khan’s shooting follows an apparent increase in the kidnapping of foreign businesspeople travelling to South Africa.

The murder follows the kidnapping and later release of Polish businesswoman‚ Barbara Wadolowska‚ last week Friday after an estimated Euro 2-million ransom was paid for her freedom.

Wadolowska‚ whose kidnapping sparked a secret international police operation‚ was held for nearly a week‚ after she was snatched from outside her Sandton hotel.

Her release follows this week’s appearance — in an unrelated kidnapping — of four Pakistani nationals in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court. The men are allegedly senior members of another kidnapping syndicate said to be operating in Johannesburg.

They allegedly kidnapped Pakistani businessman‚ Ijaz-ur Rahman Ilyas Mohamed‚ shortly after he arrived in South Africa last month.

by Graeme Hosken- TimesLIVE

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