The man alleged to be the mastermind behind the kidnapping of two Nelson Mandela Bay business owners was refused bail in the Gqeberha Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. He was on parole after serving a murder sentence at the time of the kidnappings.

Listen to this article 7 min Listen to this article 7 min The Gqeberha Magistrates' Court has dismissed a bail application from the man believed to be the mastermind behind a spate of kidnappings in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro.

Mnyamezeli Lakhona Tete (59) was arrested by the Hawks working with provincial Crime Intelligence and the Makhanda Dog Unit on 9 June 2024.

His co-accused Mzoxolo Eric Grwayibana (38) was released on R3,000 bail on 23 May 2024.

It is alleged that the pair was involved in the kidnapping for ransom of Rodney "Running" Chen on 5 April 2024. Chen was abducted from his North End windscreen business at gunpoint and forced into an Opel Mokka vehicle. The kidnappers then used Chen's cellphone to call his mother and demand a ransom for his return.

He was found in the middle of the night in Kariega, about 30 km from where he was taken, by the police six days after his kidnapping.

A Toyota Fortuner, believed to have been used in this kidnapping, was later found and seized at a local car wash. An Audi A4 was also seized from Tete's home in Motherwell.

"An intelligence-driven investigation by the joint team...