South African authorities have recovered a boy who had been kidnapped over the weekend, with the abductors demanding ransom in Bitcoins.
Katlego Marite, 13, was dragged by the gang into a car while playing with two friends near his home in Witbank, a town in in the eastern province of Mpumalanga, on Sunday afternoon.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said he was found in eMalahleni on Thursday afternoon.
“We found him around Witbank. He was found alone,” Hlathi said.
“I am on my way there and I will get more information. The investigators are with him, so they can’t speak to me,” he added.
The kidnappers had left a note behind demanding a ransom of 15 Bitcoins for his release. This amount, when converted, translates to about $120,000.
Katlego’s friends alerted his parents after the incident, and they in turn reported the matter to the police.
