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- A 40-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with the abduction of an 11-year-old girl.
- The suspect was arrested in Mozambique.
- The girl was found alive on Tuesday in Soweto.
Police have arrested a 40-year-old suspect in Mozambique in connection with the abduction of an 11-year-old girl outside her school in Mayfair, Johannesburg.
The girl was found alive on Tuesday during an intelligence-led operation.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that members of the Crime Intelligence Anti-Kidnapping Task Team, assisted by the Johannesburg Flying Squad pounced on a house in Devland, Soweto around midnight.
"The girl was rescued unharmed and was taken to a medical facility for medical examination. She has since been reunited with her family," Netshiunda said.
READ | Girl, 11, abducted outside Johannesburg school
He added that the suspects who were at the house evaded arrest and that a 40-year-old man was arrested in Mozambique on 31 December. Interpol was busy with the extradition process.
"Two other suspects, Ayanda Kekana, 50, and Fortune Kambule Ndlovu, 36, were arrested in December 2021 in connection with the same kidnapping and their bail application was denied when they appeared at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on 7 December 2021.
"They are due back in court on Friday, 7 January. The Grade 5 pupil was abducted while she was waiting to be sanitised and screened outside the school gate. Her alleged kidnappers were reportedly driving a new-shaped silver/white Toyota Yaris with the registration number JS 62 CS GP.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said the department was delighted to hear of the girl's safe return.
"We are delighted to receive this good news of the safe return of this girl learner. We will avail our Psycho-Social Unit to provide additional counselling to her given the trauma she has faced during this unfortunate incident," he said.
Lesufi said information at their disposal was that the girl's mother received a call from the police on Wednesday morning informing her to fetch her child at the police station.
In November, the story made national headlines after the girl was abducted at gunpoint at EP Baumann Primary School.
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