FREE STATE – A missing Free State pastor and his wife have been found alive after they were abducted and held hostage in Evaton.
Pastor Phillip Mashudu (55) and his wife, Elsie Matlou Mashudu (54), were found late on Monday evening, August 27, after being missing for four days.
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The couple disappeared on Friday, August 23, while on their way to a church conference in Paris.
This happened after the couple was hijacked and kidnapped on the road between Heilbron and Sasolburg.
After their vehicle was found in Sebokeng, a large-scale search operation was launched involving multiple police units in Gauteng and the Free State province.
The breakthrough came last night when a provincial investigation team, working around the clock, arrested three suspects in Sharpeville in connection with the couple’s disappearance.
After further investigation, police soon arrived at a house in Evaton, where the Mashudus were found unharmed.
At the scene, the police seized a stack of bank cards, a large amount of money and a toy gun. The weapon was probably used to threaten the couple.
Free State Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane praised the team’s efforts in a statement.
“I would like to thank all the units that worked tirelessly on this case. Your dedication and hard work have brought us one step closer to justice and ensured the safe return of Pastor Mashudu and his wife,” Motswenyane said.
The four suspects, all males between the ages of 31 and 41, will appear in court in Sasolburg on Thursday, August 29, 2024, charged with hijacking and kidnapping.
Sedibeng Ster
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