Friends, family and police are hoping for the safe return of a Parkwood shopkeeper who was abducted from his shop just over than a week ago.
Abdie Majiet was being held for ransom by his abductors after he was taken by three armed men in a Quantum on Saturday October 2.
According to reports, Mr Majiet, a Somali national, was accepting deliveries in Willow Road in Parkwood when a van pulled up, unknown men held them at gunpoint, entered the container where the shop is run from, held those in the shop at gunpoint and took an undisclosed amount of money.
After robbing the store the men forced the shop owner into the vehicle and drove off – he hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
Family spokesperson and friend of the victim, Royal Adams, said things had happened very quickly on the day of the abduction. He was at his home, close to the shop, when someone alerted him that Mr Majiet was being taken.
“When I came out they were gone and there was nothing we could do. The men held guns at them and told them to open the shop while they were packing out deliveries. They entered the shop, took money and then pulled Majiet to the Quantum but left the man who was helping him.
Mr Adams said they did everything in their power to report the crime as soon as possible and get police to respond so that Mr Majiet could be found.
Police station commander Colonel Dawood Laing confirmed the incident, and told Southern Mail the victim and another man had been unloading the day’s deliveries at their shop in Willow Road when the three men held them up at gunpoint and robbed them, taking an undisclosed amount of money.
“They then held Majiet at gunpoint and demanded he get in the van and they fled the scene.”
The family opened a missing person’s case but the docket was changed to a kidnapping when the victim’s mother, who lives abroad, was contacted to pay a ransom.
The case has been handed over to the Hawks as they are the directorate for the country’s priority crime investigations who usually deal with ransom cases.
The 35-year-old man who had been running the shop for the past 10 years is said to be kind, soft and generous with many from the community who are sometimes in need.
“He’s a nice guy who helps everyone and especially people who don’t have money. He would help pensioners who couldn’t pay until they got their grants. He also helps other shop owners and people when they are in need.”
Mr Adams was hopeful that Mr Majiet would be returned safely. “We are very worried about the situation and hope he will come home soon. We are very worried and are doing all we can to get him back.”
According to police there have been no further developments in the case after an amount for the ransom could not be decided on.
“The family have been putting money together to get Mr Majiet back safely but there was allegedly not enough money. We appeal to the people who took him to bring him back unharmed.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Sergeant Williams on 082 302 3776.