Leave forms and bags of cash link Hawks member to alleged ‘kidnapping syndicate’

Last year, a member of the Hawks allegedly booked leave on two occasions to travel to Nelson Mandela Bay so he could join other members of a kidnapping syndicate to abduct two women for ransom.

Around the same time, he spent his share of the ransom money on a luxury car, which was parked at a house in Motherwell where the police found close to R200,000 in marked bills used to pay the ransom, as well as a firearm that was used in the assassination of Gqeberha prosecutor Tracy Brown.

These were among allegations levelled against Xolani Busakwe at the Gqeberha Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where State advocate Marius Stander led evidence opposing his formal bail application.

Busakwe, a member of the Hawks’ Digital Forensic Investigation Unit, sat in the dock with slumped shoulders as Stander outlined the State’s case that he is allegedly linked to a criminal syndicate responsible for Brown’s death and at least two kidnappings for ransom – all in the space of three months last year.

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He faces a string of charges including kidnapping, human trafficking, extortion and robbery with aggravating circumstances, as well as charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

His co-accused, Simthembile Xungu, David Mthembu, Buhle Mbini, Andile Mathumbu, Unathi Mayi and his brother Ayabulela Busakwe face similar charges, while some have also been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder in relation to the hit on Brown.

According to an affidavit prepared by the Hawks and read into the court record by Stander, Busakwe was a police officer stationed at the Gqeberha Local Criminal Records Centre before he was transferred to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) head office in Pretoria, where he was assigned to the Digital Forensic Investigations Unit in 2024.

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In June 2025, Busakwe submitted a leave request and planned to visit his home in Motherwell. It was during this time that cellphone records place him in the vicinity of the Markman Fresh Produce Market where Lindsay Knowlden was kidnapped.

Cellphone records also placed Mthembu, Mbini and Mathumbu in the same location and indicated continuous communication between the four men around the time of the kidnapping.

It was also revealed that the last known live location of Knowlden’s cellphone was Mathumbu’s home address in Motherwell.

A ransom amount of R1.25-million was paid for Knowlden’s release. The following day, Busakwe and his brother contacted a used car dealership in George, Western Cape, to negotiate the cash purchase of a BMW to the tune of R155,000. 

The two brothers, along with a friend, Lungile Jika, travelled to the dealership a few days later with a plastic bag full of cash to complete the transaction. However, the deal was delayed when the salesman became suspicious.

The car was subsequently purchased via an electronic fund transfer and registered in Jika’s name.

Stander said it was the State’s case that the Busakwes, along with Mthembu, Mbini and Mathumbu, orchestrated Knowlden’s kidnapping, and that the BMW was purchased with a portion of the ransom money.

Between 11 and 14 August 2025, Busakwe was scheduled to testify in a court case in Nelson Mandela Bay, and the police booked his flights between Pretoria and Gqeberha. The day after his flights were confirmed, he booked leave for the days leading up to the court dates, claiming he would be in Nelson Mandela Bay due to a family bereavement.

On 11 August, Theresa Minnie was kidnapped outside her home in Kariega. A ransom of R1.1-million was paid to secure her release. However, before the payment was made, the Hawks marked the cash with a fluorescent powder.

The suspects were subsequently tracked, and in the week following the kidnapping, Ayabulela Busakwe and Mathumbu were arrested and found in possession of large sums of cash, including banknotes marked with the fluorescent powder.

Stander also indicated that during questioning, Ayabulela Busakwe made a partial confession that a “Xolani” was involved in the kidnapping, effectively fingering his brother as an accomplice.

Further investigation led the police to an address where the accused allegedly stashed some of their loot. The police found R197,000 marked with the fluorescent powder, as well as a firearm that has since been positively linked to the murder of prosecutor Tracy Brown.

A witness also told the police that Ayabulela Busakwe parked a BMW at the address, but that his brother later came to fetch the vehicle.

Xolani Busakwe missed his flight from Gqeberha to Pretoria on 14 August. It is the State’s case that he waited in Nelson Mandela Bay until he was certain that Minnie’s ransom had been paid before driving the BMW, purchased with Knowlden’s ransom money, back to Pretoria.

The vehicle has since been located in Pretoria and is the subject of an asset forfeiture application.

Stander also indicated that Busakwe faces charges of theft and defeating the ends of justice in a separate case. During the search of his residence, police uncovered 12 dockets related to a 2022 investigation at the Local Criminal Record Centre at Mount Road police station in Gqeberha, where Busakwe had previously been stationed.

The State submitted that it would be in the interests of justice for the court to deny Busakwe bail, mainly because of his familiarity with police systems and some of the witnesses, and he could easily interfere with the investigation and possibly tamper with evidence.

The case was postponed until Friday for closing arguments by the State and defence. Busakwe is scheduled to return to court alongside his co-accused next week. DM