Community members called for the Middelburg Magistrates Court to deny a farm owner and three others bail. Photo by Bulelwa Ginindza
TWO more suspects have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and assault of two Somaphepha villagers accused of stealing sheep in Mpumalanga. Â
The 44-year-old farm worker, a Malawian national, and a 32-year-old security guard will join Renault Stein (25) and Dumisani Masilela (32) in their next court appearance on Tuesday, 10 September.Â
Stein and Masilela made a brief court appearance on Thursday, 5 September, in the Middelburg Magistrates Court.
The case was postponed. Â
It’s alleged on 24 August the suspects kidnapped and assaulted Thembeni Mnguni (39) and Wonder Mahlangu (22) from Laersdrift outside Middelburg, accusing them of stealing sheep. Â
According to Thembeni’s family, he was on his way to pick up his car, which had run out of petrol on the road leading to Elsias Farm when Stein and Masilela accosted him. Â
The accused allegedly interrogated Thembeni and forced him to show them where the sheep was. Â
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They then drove to another house, where they picked up Wonder. Â
The victims are believed to have been burnt beyond recognition. Â
Family members and the community filled the courtroom, calling for the court to deny the accused bail. Â
Gift Machaba told Daily Sun he was happy the matter had been postponed again, delaying the release of the accused on bail. Â
Gift said the community would be opposed to seeing the suspects walking free as that may lead to more gruesome deaths.Â
“We’re here to support the families. We won’t be happy if we see the suspects out of jail. They don’t deserve to be living among people. They’re so inhumane,” Machaba said.Â
Mpumalanga police spokesman, Colonel Donald Mdluli, said investigations are continuing. Â
He said the possibility of arresting more suspects and additional charges to the already arrested four suspects arrested cannot be ruled out.Â
Bulelwa Ginindza
www.snl24.com
