A sixth suspect connected to the double kidnapping of two Bangladeshi nationals on January 21 asked the court to be kept separately from his co-accused on Monday.
Khanyolwethu Shasha, 25, appeared in court for the first time in Bellville, Cape Town, on Monday after his arrest by investigators on Thursday.
Shasha’s lawyer, advocate Fuzile Shumi, indicated that his client was in negotiations with the state. He asked for his client to be kept at the police station until February 24, instead of Pollsmoor Prison, while the negotiations continued.
Shasha appeared diminutive in stature compared to the two police officers who shared the dock with him on Monday.
His co-accused include Nyanga police FCS unit officer Bongani Kameni, 35, and Table Bay police officer constable Ngangaphila Somagaca, 27, who appeared in the dock on Friday, along with their co-accused Lvuyo Lwabi, 33, Zimbabwean national Nicodemus Pasipandya, 32, and Andrew Soko, 25.
Latest suspect nabbed for Bangladeshi kidnapping held separately
Image: 123RF/rafaelbenari
A sixth suspect connected to the double kidnapping of two Bangladeshi nationals on January 21 asked the court to be kept separately from his co-accused on Monday.
Khanyolwethu Shasha, 25, appeared in court for the first time in Bellville, Cape Town, on Monday after his arrest by investigators on Thursday.
Shasha’s lawyer, advocate Fuzile Shumi, indicated that his client was in negotiations with the state. He asked for his client to be kept at the police station until February 24, instead of Pollsmoor Prison, while the negotiations continued.
Shasha appeared diminutive in stature compared to the two police officers who shared the dock with him on Monday.
His co-accused include Nyanga police FCS unit officer Bongani Kameni, 35, and Table Bay police officer constable Ngangaphila Somagaca, 27, who appeared in the dock on Friday, along with their co-accused Lvuyo Lwabi, 33, Zimbabwean national Nicodemus Pasipandya, 32, and Andrew Soko, 25.
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The suspects are all believed to be part of a gang that planned and executed the January kidnapping of two Bangladeshi victims from their home in Delft.
The victims were then allegedly forcefully taken in their own vehicle by the suspects to Better Life, an informal settlement in Philippi.
The suspects demanded a ransom for their release.
Police investigators rescued the victims a day after they were kidnapped.
According to the state’s charge sheet presented in the Bellville magistrate’s court on Friday, the victims were tortured by the suspects who burnt their bodies with burning plastic.
The suspects also allegedly used pliers to break the victims’ toes.
The men face kidnapping, human trafficking and two attempted murder charges, with a further charge of operating as a gang under the Prevention of Organised Crimes Act (Poca).
The charges are all consolidated under Poca, an act designed to help authorities prosecute criminal enterprises and which gives the court powers to grant heftier prison sentences.
All the suspects will remain behind bars until their next court appearance.
The court agreed to postpone the matter to March 6 for a formal bail application.
They were all remanded in custody.
TimesLIVE
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