A police family violence, child protection and sexual offences (FCS) unit officer was charged on Friday for allegedly kidnapping and torturing two Bangladeshis in Cape Town in January.

Bongani Kameni, 35, attached to the Nyanga FCS unit, was arrested this week and is the second police officer to be nabbed in connection with the kidnapping.

He joined his colleague, Table Bay police Const Ngangaphila Somagaca, 27, in the dock on Friday with their co-accused Luvuyo Lwabi, 33, Zimbabwean Nicodemus Pasipandya, 32, and Andrew Soko, 25.

On Thursday police arrested another person in connection with the kidnapping, bringing to six the total number of suspects arrested.

They are believed to be part of a gang that planned and executed the January 21 kidnapping of two Bangladeshis from their home in Delft.

The victims were allegedly taken in their own vehicle to Better Life informal settlement in Philippi. The kidnappers demanded a ransom for their release.

According to the charge sheet presented in the Bellville magistrate's court on Friday, the victims were tortured by the suspects who burnt them with burning plastic. 

The suspects also allegedly used pliers to break the toes of the victims. 

TimesLIVE Investigations has established that torture and sometimes death accompanies nearly all kidnapping for ransom cases as part of the modus operandi to convince families of victims or the victims themselves to meet the ransom demands.

Victims released after ransoms are paid are often reluctant to talk about their experiences because they are warned by gangs of the consequences of talking to the police and the perception of the involvement of police officers in their kidnappings.

The sixth suspect is expected to appear in court on Monday. 

Lwabi, Pasipandya and Soko appeared in court and were defended by a legal aid attorney.

Kameni and Somagaca were represented by private attorneys. 

An advocate expected to represent the sixth accused was also present in court on Friday.

A Hawks and police task team, established in October last year, arrested the first three alleged members of the syndicate on January 22, a day after the kidnapping. 

The others were arrested after what TimesLIVE Investigations understands was an intensive investigation.

Thursday's arrest brings to 18 the total number of suspects arrested since the task team was established.

Of the five kidnapping for ransom cases investigated since the unit was formed, arrests were made in four cases.

Those include the arrests of eight men alleged to be part of a syndicate who kidnapped eight-year-old Abhira Dekhta in November last year.

The only case in which the task team has not yet made arrests was the kidnapping of a Chinese girl who, SowetanLIVE's sister publication TimesLIVE Investigations understands, was severely tortured by her captors. 

During court proceedings in Bellville on Friday, colleagues of Kameni from the Nyanga FCS unit were present in the court gallery with family of Somagaca, who loudly proclaimed their support for him as he was led down to the cells after proceedings.

The men face kidnapping, human trafficking and two attempted murder charges, with a further charge of operating together as a gang added under the Prevention of Organised Crimes Act.

The charges are consolidated under the Act, designed to help authorities prosecute criminal enterprises and which gives the court powers to grant heftier prison sentences. 

The suspects will remain behind bars until their next court appearance.

TimesLIVE