Human Interest
Kidnapped Pretoria businessman still missing after nearly 3 months─── 11:23 Mon, 23 Oct 2017
Johannesburg - An elderly Pretoria businessman remains missing, months after he was kidnapped, an anti-crime activist said on Sunday.
"It’s Day 81 [Sunday] and Omar Carrim is still in captivity. We pray for his safe return," Yusuf Abramjee said.
The 76-year-old Carrim was kidnapped on August 3, shortly after leaving his business, Home Hyper City, in Pretoria, and while travelling home to Laudium.
"Carrim's car was found burned out near Erasmia the following morning," Abramjee said.
He said there had been an increase in cases of kidnapping over the last few years.
"It appears to be escalating," he said. "What is worrying is that these syndicates are becoming more daring and they are clearly sophisticated," he added.
He said that, in general, the syndicates appeared to target wealthy businessmen and then demanded enormous ransoms.
