Kidnapping case takes new turn

THE ANC regional secretary for Waterberg, Tollie Mashamaite, could face the full might of the law if he is found to have defeated the ends of justice in relation to a recent alleged kidnapping case.

Mashamaite, who is also a Mogalakwena Municipality councillor, was reportedly brutally assaulted and left for dead in the boot of his car just outside of Vergenoeg village in Mokopane on Sunday, January 16.

He was found by a passer-by who saw a car parked in the bush. The passerby heard a sound from the boot of the car. He forced the boot open and found Mashamaite who seemed badly injured. The matter was reported to the police and Mashamaite was rushed to hospital.

According to a police official who did not wish to be named, Mashamaite told the man who found him that he did not want to open a case with the police, saying he knew his attackers and would deal with them his way.

A source in the municipality accused Mashamaite of misleading the police by claiming the attack was politically motivated, while he was actually attacked by people he knew.

“This was never a political or a criminal act, but tenderpreneurs who he received money from in exchange for tenders and he failed to honour the agreements,” says the source.

According to the source, these tenderpreneurs demanded their money from Mashamaite, who told them it was buried at his home village just outside Mokopane.

“When they dug up the spot he showed them, there was nothing and that is why he was assaulted.”

The police in Mahwelereng confirmed that Mashamaite did not open a case on the morning after the attack, but that a case was opened at the hospital where he was admitted.

The police referred CV to the provincial police spokesperson, Hangwani Mulaudzi, who confirmed that they were investigating circumstances around the matter.

However, Mulaudzi could not comment on the reasons the case was opened in hospital.

He could not confirm or deny whether the police were looking into charging Mashamaite with defeating the ends of justice by misleading the police in his statement, where he claimed he was attacked by three unknown men.

“Our investigations are continuing and we are now at a very sensitive stage,” says Mulaudzi.

Mashamailte’s phone was switched off when CV attempted to get comment from him and did not provide a platform to leave a message as the mailbox was full.

Malesela Selokela, spokesperson for the Mogalakwena Municipality could not comment on the matter, saying the matter was in the hands of the police.