Four Bangladeshi nationals are facing a charge of murder, kidnapping and attempted extortion.
Of the four, Mohammed Rahman (27) abandoned his bail application.
Rahman is facing a further charge of being illegal in the country.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa (NPA) on 16 December 2021 the four accused kidnapped a man, also Bangladeshi, in Kwaggafontein in Mpumalanga and drove with him to Vanderbijlpark where they assaulted him.
“They then took a video of him and sent it to his family in Bangladesh, demanding that the family pay them money for his release. After several days of not receiving a response from his family they killed him, dumped and burnt his body in the bushes in Bophelong.”
The body was discovered by a person who was passing by on 30 December 2021.”
NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the four were initially arrested and appeared at Kwaggafontein Magistrates’ Court on kidnapping charges and were later arrested again on 04 March 2022 and appeared at Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court for the murder charge.
“The four accused confessed to committing the offences. The two dockets were subsequently joined together at Vanderbijlpark.”
In court the state opposed bail.
“Prosecutor Corneller Grobler told the court that it was not in the best interest of justice for the accused to be granted bail because they were a flight risk, as there was nothing binding them to the country besides their shop which is worth R200 000 and considering the charges they are facing, they can flee. She added that the accused might interfere with witnesses that are in Bangladesh and influence them. She also informed the court that the accused are being investigated for a similar offence which they committed before the current one, therefore they are likely to commit the same offence again should they be released on bail.”
The Magistrate however, granted the accused bail with conditions that they should report to the police station every Monday and Friday between 09:00 and 16:00 and they should not leave Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging, and Boipatong area.
The magistrate further stated that she does not believe the accused are a flight risk since they own properties and are asylum seekers in South Africa.
The matter is postponed to 01 July 2022, for further investigation.
