Interpol to help search for kidnapped girl
2012-12-06 07:36
Johannesburg - Interpol and police from neighbouring countries have been asked to help track down a 7-year-old girl who was kidnapped from her primary school in an operation allegedly staged by her biological father.
Pura Pahlo was snatched by four armed men who pretended to be police officers outside the Waterkloof Primary School, The Times reported.
The men also tried to kidnap the girl’s foster mother, Kim Andreou, but her screams alerted other parents at the school and the father drove off with the girl.
Police arrived at the scene and arrested the four men as they tried to get the woman into their car, Sapa reported.
Custody battle
The girl’s foster parents said the child needed protection from her biological father, who tried to kidnap the girl before and was wanted on several charges.
The girl has been in foster care for six years because of a bitter custody battle between her American father, Ray Pahlo, 42, and her Ghanaian mother.
Foster father Evan Andreou said his biggest fear was never seeing their little angel again.
"He has no love for her. Last year he tried to 'buy' Pura from Kim when he came to our creche. He offered her R10 000 for his 'property', he said.
He said his wife could not get the little girl’s screams out of her head.
Anyone with information about Pura or Pahlo, or a beige Mercedes-Benz with the licence plate SPR947GP, has been asked to contact the investigating officer, Constable Johannes Tjiane on 083 7669342.
Police spokesperson Captain Pinky Tsinyane told Sapa it is believed the father will try to take the child out of the country.
The four arrested men, aged between 21 and 45, were allegedly promised R5 000 to kidnap the child. They will appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court in the near future on charges of kidnapping and impersonating police officers.
