Brothers kidnapped man outside Nando’s and held him at gunpoint for £30k ransom

The brothers kidnapped Ali Almafraji in September 2023 (Picture: SWNS) Two brothers have been jailed after using a fake dating profile to lure a stranger to Nando’s before holding him at gunpoint for hours. Bilal and Zachariya Rakik were both jailed for more than seven years after pleading guilty to kidnapping, blackmail, and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. In September 2023, the pair kidnapped victim Ali Almafraji, a friend of a friend whom they had never met, because they believed he was wealthy. The brothers created a fake profile on Azar, a video chat app, using a photo of a woman to arrange to meet him outside Nando’s on Lewisham High Street, in southeast London. When he arrived outside the restaurant at around 10pm on September 10, 2023, he found out the profile had been deleted and assumed he’d been stood up. Zachariya Rakik has been jailed alongside his brother(Picture: SWNS) But moments later, brothers Bilal and Zachariya climbed into his car wearing balaclavas and surgical gloves, and began what Judge Martin Yale described as a ‘terrifying ordeal’. The pair pulled out a ‘very realistic imitation of a semi-automatic handgun’ and held it against Mr Almafraji’s back while threatening to shoot him. While driving around south-east London, they demanded £30,000 and warned that he would be killed by sunrise if the money wasn’t raised. When he said he had no money, the brothers then unlocked his phone and called four friends to demand a ransom. The brothers told one friend: ‘Listen right now, if the morning light shines on me, it’s the last. Don’t even call.’ But their plan was wrecked after the victim’s friend phoned the police. His car’s number plate was passed on to the Metropolitan Police’s Flying Squad, an elite branch of officers who specialise in armed surveillance and ambush. Bilal Rakik used a dating app to lure the man to he and his brother (Picture: SWNS) Latest London news Officers tracked his car to Bell Green Retail Park, in Sydenham, before following it to Ladywell. They then forced the car to stop at around 4.20am, with armed police storming the car, smashing the glass, and dragging Mr Almafraji out to safety. The brothers were arrested and taken to custody, where they have since remained. After initially pleading not guilty in November 2023, stating they had been forced to commit the offence under duress, the brothers changed their story and pleaded guilty to blackmail, conspiracy to kidnap, and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, in January 2025. The court heard that neither brother had any previous convictions, and that neither had reached full maturity at the time of the offence. Bilal Rakik was jailed for seven years, two months, and 21 days, while Zachariya Rakik was jailed for seven years and 30 days. The pair were also given a restraining order, ordering them not to contact Ali Almafraji directly or indirectly for 10 years. Judge Yale added: “I pay tribute to the extraordinary work of the Flying Squad which showed skill, speed, efficiency and most of all, bravery.” Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Five bombshell extracts from Earl Spencer’s new Princess Diana book Arrow MORE: British dad, 37, admits causing death of son, 2, who fell from window at Cyprus hotel Arrow MORE: Earl Spencer’s new book is already half price just hours after release Breaking News Never miss the biggest stories with breaking news alerts in your inbox.