14 Jun 2013

Solomons police arrest seven for Chinese businessman's kidnap

1:39 pm on 14 June 2013

Solomon Islands police are reported to have arrested seven people in the capital Honiara for kidnapping a Chinese businessman on a public bus and demanding he pay them an undisclosed ransom.

The Solomon Star reports that the victim was heading for the town centre when he was blocked from getting off the bus and driven around a range of locations while his captors made him contact his shop to organise handover details.

The paper cites a police report stating the man was threatened with screw drivers and forced to arrange for a large sum of money to be collected from his business in return for his release.

The report states the man escaped from the bus when it developed a flat tyre and had to stop for a repair.

It says he was picked up by a public vehicle when he was seen running along the Kakabona road strangely.

The Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry has condemned the kidnapping and hopes to hold a meeting with the Chinese Business Association to address that body's concerns.

The acting provincial police commander for Honiara city, Superintendent Mostein Mangau, says assistance from the public helped the police make the arrests.