Eastern Cape: Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane has commended the Hawks for their swift and successful action in solving the case of a nine-year-old girl, who was kidnapped outside Dreamland Primary School in Buffalo Flats, East London.

According to South African Government News Agency, the young girl, Emaan Fatima, was released near the Inyibiba Police Station in the early hours of Wednesday, 12 February, bringing a much-welcome end to the nightmare that unfolded last Tuesday. Her release follows the hard and thorough work of a multi-disciplinary team, including the Kidnapping Task Team of the Serious Organised Crime Investigation of the Hawks, East London Public Order Police, East London Flying Squad, and Provincial Hostage Negotiators. This collaboration led to the arrest of three suspects, aged between 20 and 67.

The suspects appeared before the East London Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where they were remanded in custody for bail contents. All three suspects were positively linked with Emaan’s kidnapping.

Premier Mabuyane expressed his gratitude, stating, “We commend the Hawks for their tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to ensuring justice is served. The abduction of the girl sent shockwaves throughout our province, and we are grateful for the progress made in this distressing case. We applaud the Hawks for their dedication and perseverance in solving this case, and we look forward to seeing justice being served. This breakthrough serves as a testament to the effectiveness of our law enforcement agencies and the importance of collaboration between government, law enforcement, and the community.”