A 23-year-old Limpopo woman survived a kidnap attempt by three men near a local shopping centre by fighting and screaming as her assailants tried to drag her into their car
One of Funo Muofhe's attackers appeared at the Dzanani magistrate's court in Nzhelele on Thursday.
The two other men suspected of attempting to kidnap her had been burnt beyond recognition by angry community members on Wednesday.
Muofhe's older brother Norman Muofhe said his sister screamed for help when she realised she was being robbed, and as the thugs dragged her into a white Toyota Etios outside the Mphephu Plaza in Siloam in Nzhelele. Muofhe had gone there to shop.
Norman said one of the men apparently injected her with an unknown substance which made her slightly dizzy.
“When she realised they were trying to put her into the car, she started screaming for help. Other people in the area started to approach when they realised that something was wrong and that’s when she managed to get away,” he said.
The thugs fled and some members of the community gave chase after Muofhe told a local photographer at the centre what had happened.
“When she came to us we went to the local taxi drivers requesting assistance and they declined. We were trying to stop any vehicle that would help us to chase that car,” he said. He said the local photographer agreed to help and they hopped into his car and started chasing the suspects.
He said the driver of the white Toyota Etios then lost control during the chase and rolled over and by that time word about the incident had already spread around the area. The photographer said the crowd went to the crash scene and started beating up the three suspects before torching the car while they were inside. Two burnt to death while the third was saved by cops and taken into custody.
Provincial police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said community members proceeded to the police station demanding the suspect be released into their hands. Mojapelo said public order police were dispatched to the area to contain the situation.
The suspect appeared in court yesterday on charges of robbery and attempted kidnapping while police are also investigating two counts of murder in relation to the killing of the other suspects. The matter was postponed to later this month for further investigation.
Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe has asked the public to come forward with information that would help identify those responsible for the mob killing of the two suspects.
Muofhe's brother said his sister, who is usually talkative and bubbly, has been so traumatised that she refuses to eat or sleep after the ordeal.
Norman said the family wanted justice for his sister. “We are happy that she survived but we want the police to do their work so other young women are not taken from us. As you can see the community is angry.”
mahopoz@sowetan.co.za
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