Watch: Eldos community protest at court where torture, murder suspects are to appear
Call to arrest five more alleged perpetrators, who are allegedly terrorising witnesses and the victims' families.
Residents of Eldorado Park picket outside the Lenasia Magistrates Court, where three suspects appeared for the kidnapping, torture and murder of a group of suspected robbers. Picture: Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni
Members of the Eldorado Park community gathered outside the Lenasia Magistrates Court on Friday morning, where three suspects are expected to appear on charges related to a double murder and kidnapping which happened earlier this month.
Residents are demanding that police take action against the other supposed perpetrators of the crime, saying that five others were supposedly involved, but have been let off the hook.
The victims were suspected house and car robbers who were hunted down by a group of homeowners, apparently out of frustration over the increase in crime in the area. The community claimed the alleged murderers were no saints themselves and condemned the brutal killings.
The victims, whose ages range from 21 to 29, were allegedly kidnapped by a group of homeowners following a series of house and car robberies in the area. The group allegedly chained, beat, and tortured the victims for a week, during which two of them died.
The survivor was allegedly dumped at a nearby hospital and told residents he and the other victims were attacked by eight men.
According to community leader Dwain Ponsonby, the investigation couldn’t possibly be complete as there was a fourth victim who was hunted and harassed, and the alleged assailants who walked free were still terrorising the families of victims and searching for the surviving victim, who was believed to be in witness protection.
The suspects appearing on Friday were arrested over the last two weeks, after the bodies were discovered at one of the alleged assailants’ homes.
The owner of the house has apparently since turned state witness, which also sparked the ire of the community as they believed he was the mastermind behind the crimes.
- Simnikiweh@citizen.co.za
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