42-Year-old Nigerian National, Johnathan Eloho Okinedo who was kidnapped on Saturday, December 4th, 2021 has been murdered.
His wife and brother arrived at the Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) Headquarters earlier this week seeking assistance in locating him. They have paid the kidnappers twice and he was not released. His body was discovered near a bush in Newlands – Kwazulu Natal yesterday with gunshot wounds to the head. He was identified by his brothers at a state mortuary.
According to his wife, Okinedo also known as Jojo, a DSTV technician left for the Senzokwethu Secondary School in H Section Ntunzuma on Saturday to meet a client wanting to fit a decorder. The client had called at 06:45 the same morning requesting a technician.
His family received a call from his cellphone later the same day and Okinedo informed them that he was held against his will and the kidnappers were demanding R2000 for his release. The family negotiated the amount to R500 and the money was transferred 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 for the release of the victim. The family explained that they could not transfer that amount via e-wallet and the amount of R1500 was agreed upon. When the transfer was done, the kidnappers switched off the phone, and Okinedo was not released. He has not been heard from since.
Johnathan Eloho Okinedo moved from Delta State in Nigeria – West Africa to South Africa and resided temporarily in Amouti – Kwazulu Natal in 2015.
Investigation into the Murder & Kidnapping are continuing.