BY Obakeng Maje

TAUNG- Taung police have registered a case of kidnapping on 1 June 2012, following a number of incidences where the community members have resorted to taking law into their own hand.

According to the information received, a group of people abducted a man outside the Taung Magistrate’s Court.

They accused him of various stolen property.  It is alleged that the suspects drove away with a van to an unknown destination where the victim was kept against his will.

When a relative of the kidnapped man reported this incident to the police, it could not be established immediately as to where he was taken.

“On the 4 June 2012, the police received information about the house where he was kept and they rescued the victim.

When the police raided the house they found two assaulted victims, the community group that kept them there handed to the police a number of stolen properties seized during their own investigation” Sergant Philani Nkwalase said.

  The man abducted in front of the court was positively linked to the stolen goods, while the other man could not be linked to any of the stolen property handed in to the police. 

It is further alleged that the community group have been carrying “operation hlasela”, where they abduct and assault suspects to confess to suspected criminal offences.

The police strongly condemn this unlawful practise, should any community member be identified as one of the people who adduct and assault the suspects they will be charged and arrested. The two victims were then taken to the police station, one was charged for theft and the other one kept for his own safety and late released to a different place. 

No community arrests have been made at this stage as investigation continues and the police are determined to make arrest also on charges of assault and kidnapping.