A 45-year-old man has been sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to the kidnapping and extortion of two teenagers in Brits, North West, in March 2024.
Boitumelo Bradly Bogatsu appeared in the Pretoria High Court, where he was sentenced on two counts of kidnapping, two counts of extortion and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.
The court imposed 15 years’ imprisonment for each kidnapping charge, 10 years for each extortion charge and five years for unlawful possession of a firearm. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of 15 years’ direct imprisonment.
Teenagers kidnapped on their way to school
The incident happened on 6 March 2024 when the two teenagers, a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy, were travelling from their home in Brits towards a school in Hartbeespoort.
The teenagers were intercepted near Central Combined School in Brits. Their vehicle was reportedly rammed by a red Audi A3, forcing them to stop.
Bogatsu and his co-accused allegedly took the teenagers and drove them to a house in Klipgat, where they were held captive.
The two teenagers were cousins.
R110 million ransom demanded
After the teenagers were taken, Bogatsu contacted their families.
The parents of the 17-year-old girl were allegedly instructed to pay R50 million, while the parents of the 18-year-old boy were allegedly asked for R60 million.
The total amount demanded from the two families was R110 million.
The teenagers were allegedly threatened with being killed or trafficked out of the country if the ransom demands were not met.
Both families reported the kidnapping to police on the same day, prompting an investigation to locate the teenagers and identify those responsible.
Teenagers found after 20 days
The two teenagers were eventually located on 26 March 2024, 20 days after they were kidnapped.
They were rescued alive and reunited with their families.
Bogatsu and the other accused were subsequently arrested in connection with the kidnapping.
Bogatsu pleads guilty
Bogatsu’s case was separated from that of his co-accused.
He pleaded guilty to the charges and admitted his involvement in the kidnapping and extortion of the teenagers and their families.
The court accepted his guilty plea and convicted him before imposing the sentence.
His effective sentence is 15 years’ direct imprisonment.
Eight co-accused still face trial
Eight other accused remain before the Pretoria High Court in connection with the case.
They are Humphrey Martin, 49; Neo Nathaniel Mokoena, 41; William Sendrey Phage, 58; Vergilio Hlongwane, 33; Nkanyiso Bright Hadebe, 25; Thulane Jacob Makume, 47; Stephen Pitso Kgotsane, 35; and Silence Robert Makhubela, 31.
Their trial has been scheduled for 26 April to 14 May 2027 in the Pretoria High Court.
The eight men have not been convicted in connection with the matter and remain accused pending the outcome of their trial.
Bogatsu has now been convicted and sentenced, while proceedings against the remaining accused are ongoing.
