A 52-year-old man who is alleged to have faked his kidnapping is set to appear in the Kariega magistrates court on Tuesday.
It is believed that the suspect left his home last week and informed his wife that he would not return home and that she should not involve the police and wait for further instructions.
The wife then informed the police and a demand for a ransom of R60 000 was made.
Hawks Eastern Cape spokesperson, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said the Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit and Crime intelligence detectives from Kariega worked together to arrest the suspect.
He was arrested on Saturday at his cousin's house in Kariega where he was hiding under wooden pallets.
"The Provincial Head Major General Mboiki Ngwenya grossly condemned such ruthless conduct as it is a distractor to the genuine cases that the Hawks are dealing with," says Mgolodela.
Algoa FM previously reported on several kidnappings in the city since the beginning of the year with the most recent one being two weeks ago.
The businessman Lu Xiao was found in Missionvale last week.
Read: https://www.algoafm.co.za/local/major-breakthrough-in-spate-of-gq-kidnappings
Last month, a businesswoman from Kariega was kidnapped outside her house while Neal Ah Tow was also kidnapped from his fishery in Sidwell.
Read more: https://www.algoafm.co.za/local/neal-ah-tow-still-missing-after-five-days
Earlier this month, a mother and her son were embroiled in another kidnapping in the city.
Also read: https://www.algoafm.co.za/local/mother-and-son-embroiled-in-another-gq-kidnapping
