Alleged underworld kingpin Nafiz Modack was apparently part of a team who negotiated the safe return of kidnapped businessman Liyaqat Parker on Monday night.
Nafiz Modack Tuesday claimed he helped trace and release the 61-year-old from a house in Kuils River but declined to give details.
“I can confirm I was part of the operations but no comment further,” he said.
Both Modack and Parker reside in Plattekloof.
According to a well-placed source, Parker was released after a ransom of R4.8 million was paid.
FREED: Local businessman Liyaqat Parker, 61, is home. Photo: Supplied
“The amount of work over the past few weeks done by Modack yielded results and ultimately paid off,” the insider told Daily Voice.
Parker, who was reunited with his family at their Plattekloof home on Monday night, was kidnapped on 9 July 2018 while parking his car in the basement of his office building in Parow.
Men in a silver Toyota Hilux double cab bakkie followed him into the building where they overpowered a guard, robbed him of his cellphone and locked him in a toilet.
They then forced Parker into their vehicle and sped off.
Parker is a founding member of the Foodprop Group, which owns the Foodworld chain of supermarkets.
His family has been tight-lipped about his kidnapping and rescue, but sent out a statement on Monday night.
“The family is relieved that he is back and would like to request the media and the public to respect their privacy during this difficult time,” it read.
According to the source, the family had approached Modack to rescue Parker.
“A recovery team involving Modack was contracted to retrieve Parker. He was successfully retrieved in Kuils River last night (Monday) between 7 and 8pm. There was no police, only contracted investigators,” the source revealed.
The source says Parker was tracked down after one of the kidnappers was caught in Johannesburg and started “singing like a bird”.
“The person arrested in Joburg was told to call his accomplices and told them to release Parker, even though the full ransom was not paid. He called and Parker was let go.”
According to the source, Parker received his medication while in captivity.
“He is in good spirits but it will take time for him to recuperate,” the source revealed.
“He is on chronic medication but the kidnappers got him his medication.”
Lieutenant-Colonel André Traut says details of the probe and subsequent
rescue cannot be disclosed.
“The case is being investigated and the finer aspects of the matter cannot be disclosed at this stage,” Traut said.
Modack, Colin Booysen, the brother of alleged Sexy Boys leader Jerome “ Donkie” Booysen as well as Ashley Fields and Jacques Cronje, face charges of money laundering and extortion in the Cape Town Regional Court.
The fifth accused, Carl Lakay, was gunned down in the driveway of his Goodwood home in August.
It is alleged the group rendered a security service while not registered as a
service provider.
They were nabbed in December 2017 for allegedly trying to extort R369 000 from The Grand Africa Cafe and Beach near the V&A Waterfront.
That amount has now been reduced to R90 000.
Their trial starts in November.