'Kidnapping a top-4 priority crime,' Cele tells family of abducted businessman
20 July 2018
Police Minister Bheki Cele on Friday visited the family of a prominent Cape Town businessman who was kidnapped earlier this month.
Liyaqat Parker, 65, was kidnapped by armed men at around 09:10 at his business in Fairway Close in N1 City, Parow, on Monday, July 9.
Cele’s spokesperson Reneilwe Serero said he told the family that the kidnapping was now prioritised as one of the top-four crimes in the country.
Meanwhile, Parker’s family has asked to be given space as the investigation into his whereabouts continues.
This is according to the family's spokesperson and attorney, Walid Brown, who added there has been much speculation and rumours surrounding the case.
Brown said rumours that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of 50 bitcoin, about R4.3m, were not true.
"There have been a lot of claims regarding the kidnapping and all those have all been proven to be fake," Brown said.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut told News24 there had been no developments in the case and the investigation continues.
Brown said there had been no communication from the kidnappers that he and the family were aware of. He said if there was, the police would have known.
Parker is the founding member of the Food Property Group, a board member of Al-Amien Foods and a non-executive board member of Brimstone Investment.
