José Manuel Dias Roda, a Madeiran businessman who was kidnapped for seven days, suffered severe torture and was dehydrated when he was rescued by South African police authorities.
The 47-year-old emigrant from Estreito da Calheta was kidnapped on July 28th, at the establishment where he was working, Waltloo Meat & Chicken, in Southdale, Johannesburg.
The captivity ended last night, following a police operation, codenamed ‘Take Down’, which was conducted by elements of the South African Police Services (SAPS).
The victim was dehydrated and tied up at the location where he was found by police, in the Nancefiekd area of Soweto.
Unofficial information indicates that the Madeiran man was subjected to torture, with the intention of making him reveal the codes of the bank cards found at the scene, where nine mobile phones were found. An armed man, who was keeping José Manuel Dias Roda under surveillance, was arrested during the operation.