Kidnapped Nigerian Man Found Dead In South Africa

Kidnapped Nigerian Man Found Dead In South Africa

A Nigerian resident in South Africa Jonathan Elohi Okinedo, 42 who was abducted last Saturday has been found dead.

According to reports, Okinedo’s wife and brother arrived at the reaction unit in South Africa headquarters earlier in the week seeking assistance to secure his release after he was kidnapped.

It was also reported that they had paid the kidnappers twice, yet he was not released.

A South African newspaper disclosed that his lifeless body was discovered near a bush in Newland-Kwazulu Natal on Wednesday with wounds on his head. He was identified by his brothers at a state mortuary.

According to his wife, Okinedo who is a DSTV technician left for the Senzokwethu secondary school in H section Ntunzuma on Saturday to meet a client wanting to fix a decoder. The client had called at 06:45 the same morning requesting for a technician.

His family received a call from his cellphone later the same day and Okinedo informed them that he had been held against his wish and the kidnappers were demanding R2000 (N52,000) for his release.

The family however negotiated to R500 (13,000) and the money was transfered via e-wallet to a provided mobile number.

The victim was allowed to speak to his family for a few minutes before the call was abruptly disconnected, both phones were then switched off and the victim was not released.

On Sunday morning, the kidnappers called the family from a new number demanding R5000 (130,000) for the victim’s release and the family explained that they could not transfer such an amount via e-wallet and the amount of R500 was agreed upon.

After the transfer was done, the kidnappers switched off the phone and Okinedo was still not released.

Okinedo moved from Delta State, Nigeria to South Africa to reside temporarily in Amouti-Kwazulu Natal in 2015.

Investigation into the murder and kidnapping is ongoing according to the police.