FIVE years and eight months after being taken hostage by al-Qaeda in Mali, South African paramedic, Gerco van Deventer, has a team fighting to get him a ransom-free release.
A fresh photograph of Van Deventer was released this week, seeing him dressed casually and appearing to be calm and hopeful.
In May, it was reported that his captors had made a request for ransom of R9.5 million.
Last week, Imtiaz Sooliman, Gift of the Givers chairperson and founder, said their negotiator, Mohamed Yehia Dicko, returned from Mali and after having communicated and engaged with many parties for his release.
Sooliman said Yehia met the chief intermediary, several other intermediaries, elders, tribal leaders and people of influence to convince JNIM (al-Qaeda) to consider a ransom-free release as there was no source…
