klipgeit
09-07-2008, 04:54 PM
Australian visitor disappears in Johannesburg after withdrawing cash from Northgate bank
http://groups.msn.com/isapi/fetch.dll?action=MyPhotos_GetMBPhoto&ImageID=nHQAAAOAKv5NG0yfa2rtnepWQaFkQRbMCn07JuZgjTM3Th*sTRIhLV3jNUHV5l6Wl Sep 5 2008 RANDBURG. Beeld journalist Magdel Fourie writes that Dirk Cortesi, 58, a financial advisor from Australia who was visiting his dad in SA, disappeared yesterday just hours before his flight to Italy. He was last seen on closed-circuit tv, withdrawing cash from the ABSA-bank cash point in Northgate shopping centre.
Cortesi emigrated from SA fourteen years ago with his wife Gerda and the couple now lives in Sydney. Most of the rest of the extended family is still in South Africa.
They were in SA to celebrate his father's birthday and also visited the Kruger Park for a few days with one of his five sisters, Iole Cortesi, before they were scheduled to fly on to Italy for two more weeks of holiday.
On Friday-morning the entire family had their last breakfast together. At around 11am Cortesi went to the Cresta shopping centre to visit a computer shop, as he needed repairs to his memory-stick (which contained pictures of his granddaughter in Australia he 'd wanted to show to the family).His steps were retraced by the family back to this computer shop, where an employee confirmed that they had spoken to him, and that he had decided to try his luck at the Northgate shopping centre when he was told they couldn't help him. Video material from the closed-circuit security cameras at Northgate showed an "unworried' Cortesi withdrawing cash from the ABSA-bank cash machine, turn around and walk away.That's the last time they saw him. He failed to return.
By 16.00 - the scheduled time of departure to Italy -- all the worried family members were searching for him everywhere and calling hospitals. ortesi didn't have a cellphone with him for use in South Africa and so they could not phone him.His disappearance was quickly reported to the Honeydew police station.
Meanwhile his sons in Australia, Alda and Marco, accessed their dad's bank accounts and noted that he'd withdrawn some money at Northgate - and then another 'sizable' amount had been withdrawn shortly thereafter from a Douglasdale shopping centre bank.
The family suspects that he was watched and followed from the Northgate bank, was kidnapped in the parking area and taken to the Southgate area.
Family says he's not familiar with the Southgate area at all and had not discussed any plans for going there.Police captain Siphiwe Ndlovu, asked to comment, merely confirmed Cortesi's disappearance.
http://www.news24.com/Beeld/Suid-Afrika/0,,3-975_2389000,00.html (http://www.news24.com/Beeld/Suid-Afrika/0,,3-975_2389000,00.html)
WE do not wish to win by default.
(http://sc.groups.msn.com/img/R9c/c.gif)
http://groups.msn.com/isapi/fetch.dll?action=MyPhotos_GetMBPhoto&ImageID=nHQAAAOAKv5NG0yfa2rtnepWQaFkQRbMCn07JuZgjTM3Th*sTRIhLV3jNUHV5l6Wl Sep 5 2008 RANDBURG. Beeld journalist Magdel Fourie writes that Dirk Cortesi, 58, a financial advisor from Australia who was visiting his dad in SA, disappeared yesterday just hours before his flight to Italy. He was last seen on closed-circuit tv, withdrawing cash from the ABSA-bank cash point in Northgate shopping centre.
Cortesi emigrated from SA fourteen years ago with his wife Gerda and the couple now lives in Sydney. Most of the rest of the extended family is still in South Africa.
They were in SA to celebrate his father's birthday and also visited the Kruger Park for a few days with one of his five sisters, Iole Cortesi, before they were scheduled to fly on to Italy for two more weeks of holiday.
On Friday-morning the entire family had their last breakfast together. At around 11am Cortesi went to the Cresta shopping centre to visit a computer shop, as he needed repairs to his memory-stick (which contained pictures of his granddaughter in Australia he 'd wanted to show to the family).His steps were retraced by the family back to this computer shop, where an employee confirmed that they had spoken to him, and that he had decided to try his luck at the Northgate shopping centre when he was told they couldn't help him. Video material from the closed-circuit security cameras at Northgate showed an "unworried' Cortesi withdrawing cash from the ABSA-bank cash machine, turn around and walk away.That's the last time they saw him. He failed to return.
By 16.00 - the scheduled time of departure to Italy -- all the worried family members were searching for him everywhere and calling hospitals. ortesi didn't have a cellphone with him for use in South Africa and so they could not phone him.His disappearance was quickly reported to the Honeydew police station.
Meanwhile his sons in Australia, Alda and Marco, accessed their dad's bank accounts and noted that he'd withdrawn some money at Northgate - and then another 'sizable' amount had been withdrawn shortly thereafter from a Douglasdale shopping centre bank.
The family suspects that he was watched and followed from the Northgate bank, was kidnapped in the parking area and taken to the Southgate area.
Family says he's not familiar with the Southgate area at all and had not discussed any plans for going there.Police captain Siphiwe Ndlovu, asked to comment, merely confirmed Cortesi's disappearance.
http://www.news24.com/Beeld/Suid-Afrika/0,,3-975_2389000,00.html (http://www.news24.com/Beeld/Suid-Afrika/0,,3-975_2389000,00.html)
WE do not wish to win by default.
(http://sc.groups.msn.com/img/R9c/c.gif)