Málaga court sentences three men to prison for kidnapping

The Audiencia de Málaga has sentenced three men to six years in prison each for the kidnapping of two individuals in January 2023. The victims were held captive in a makeshift pit inside a cistern located within a house under construction in Málaga.

The incident began when the victims met the defendants at a gas station, after which they all traveled together to a property on a farm where one of the accused resided. Once there, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of 50,000 euros, threatening the victims with a knife and warning them they would be placed in a water drum if the money was not paid.

The victims were stripped of their belongings and forced into the cistern, which was then covered with scaffolding and cement bags to prevent escape. The victims were able to contact a relative, who subsequently alerted the National Police. Following the report, officers located the site and rescued the men after hearing cries for help from within the structure.