KZN father arrested after teen reported kidnapped
Police in KZN have confirmed the arrest of the father of a 14-year-old Umhlali girl who was reported as kidnapped last week.
The teenager was said to have been snatched from outside her school in Isenembe.
Police say she was found walking with a 23-year-old undocumented foreign national in Verulam.
The man was arrested.
The girl's father last week pleaded for his child's safe return and told Newswatch he knew who had taken her.
He was taken into custody by the Umhlali Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit this morning.
He is facing multiple charges, including human trafficking, defeating the administration of justice and perjury.
Provincial police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda says the father was aware of the child’s whereabouts when he opened the kidnapping case.
He says police investigations found the girl had voluntarily left with the man.
"The 43-year-old father has been charged with Human Trafficking, defeating the administration of justice, perjury as well as charges under the Finance Act for the wasteful usage of state resources. He will appear in the KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. On the other hand the 23-year-old suspect has been charged with statutory rape as well as a charge of being in the country illegally.”
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