A 21-year-old hijack victim has played a pivotal role in bringing his alleged attackers to justice by identifying one of them, which ultimately led to the discovery of a body in a bush in North West Province. The incident unfolded a week after the young man was robbed on 8 April, when he and his uncle were passing along Xanadu Road.
According to police spokesperson Captain Mpho Manyoa, the victim spotted a 34-year-old woman emerging from the bushes, trying to catch a taxi parked by the roadside. Recognising her as part of the group that had robbed him, the victim and his uncle swiftly intervened. They sought the assistance of a neighbour employed at a local security firm, who, upon investigating the nearby bushes, unearthed the remains of a 34-year-old man at the same location where the victim’s abandoned vehicle had been discovered previously.
This grim revelation prompted immediate police involvement, leading to further investigations that eventually tracked down the suspects to Brazzaville Section in Atteridgeville, Gauteng. Authorities arrested the woman along with two men, all aged between 22 and 35 years. Initial inquiries indicated that the woman had been operating as a sex worker and was allegedly part of a scheme with her accomplices who targeted potential clients for robbery.
During the arrests, law enforcement officers seized numerous stolen items, including mobile phones and sports equipment that belonged to the hijacked victim. The trio now faces serious charges of murder and robbery and is scheduled to appear in the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Major-General Patrick Asaneng, acting North West police commissioner, applauded the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and the community in addressing crime. He urged community members and security personnel to maintain their cooperation with police in the fight against criminal activities.