Three men charged with the kidnapping of an 11-year-old boy who was held for R1 million ransom remain behind bars awaiting the trial to start while their co-accused, the alleged mastermind, who is out on bail struggles to keep legal representation.
Durban — The mother of an 11-year-old boy who was kidnapped and held for R1 million ransom hoped that the court would enforce its stern warning to one of the four men accused in the child’s abduction, should he not be prepared for trial.
Last month in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court, the matter was postponed to give time to the new legal representative of the man, 40, alleged to be the mastermind to go through statements in preparation for the trial.
This was after the man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the boy, was left in the lurch by his lawyer allegedly over fees on the day the trial was meant to start.
That was the second time the accused had been dropped by an attorney due to fees.
Last Wednesday, the case was postponed again as the accused’s attorney had not yet received statements from the attorney of the other three accused. In addition, he had not been paid.
Of the four, he is the only one out on bail, something the child’s mother on Wednesday said made it easy for him to delay the start of the trial continuously.
“The magistrate warned him, saying enough was enough, if he comes again next month with more delays the court needs to take action. How long is one man going to hold this up?
“He must not be allowed to waste the court’s time. He has been the sole cause of the delay to the trial starting,” said the boy’s mother.
Her neighbour is charged, along with Lindokuhle Mthokozisi Thabede, 29, Mvelo Khuzwayo, 29, and Fisokuhle Mathews Mbatha, 32.
They are alleged to have kidnapped the boy at gunpoint, kept him at a c house and demanded R1m ransom from the child’s mother.
After the child was kidnapped, his mother contacted the police and a R90 000 ransom was given to the accused under surveillance by police.
The child was kept in a house from the morning of that day until being rescued by police after one of the accused volunteered information about the child’s location. This was after police intercepted the vehicle the accused had been travelling in.
The ransom money was recovered in the home of one of the accused. The neighbour was the last accused to be arrested after being linked by cellphone evidence.
“My son has been anxiously waiting to testify and each time he can’t live his life without looking over his shoulder knowing that he has this hanging over him,” said the mother.
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