POLOKWANE – Hamid and three other suspects are said to have had a hand in a mob justice incident that took place in December last year. The victim was taken to hospital where he later passed on.
The three other suspects appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday where two of them received bail of R1 000 each.
Accused number two, Ali Salman’s bail application was postponed to Thursday (March 3) after his application was refused as his immigration status was not clear to the court yet. Due to technical difficulties at the court, his bail application was remanded to Monday (March 7).
Sammy Seleka of SS Attorney’s who represented Ali Salman and spoke on behalf of Hamid Salman says contact from the police was initially made through him and no indication was made that an arrest warrant had been issued as he was told that his clients only needed to give their statements to the police.
He clarified that when Ali went to give his statement, Hamid could not go with as he was on sick leave after having injured his leg.
“Hamid has been on bed rest since the first week of February. I have only seen him once since he was put on leave and could only see him after February 27. At this point my client is available to cooperate with the police but we are still seeking further legal advice. After we completed our consultations, a decision will be taken on the way forward.”
Seleka maintains that he was also not aware that an arrest warrant had been issued.
Asked on the mob justice incident being brought up against him, Hamid says he knows nothing about the incident as he was occupied at the Polokwane Police Station on other commitments on the day.
“A number of us from the association had been called to the station that morning. We went there a bit early and spent around five hours there waiting for the officers who called us to avail themselves. It was only later that evening that I received a call from someone who was asking about the incident. I told him I didn’t know anything but would try to find out for him.”
Salman says he asked around the next day and was told that the victim had been assaulted after he was suspected of stealing from a pensioner by the community.
He was told that the victim was beaten up in the CBD, then he stood up and walked towards Westenburg.
“Sometimes when we are working and get complaints of crime in the CBD when we get to the scene there are already people assaulting the suspect. In this case we will then try to calm the situation down, take the suspect and hand them over to the police. We don’t work against the police, we work with them.”
