Eight men claiming to represent a notorious community crime-fighting group will appear in court on kidnapping‚ assault and weapons-related charges in the Eastern Cape on Monday.
Police arrested them near Mthatha over the weekend in reaction to a complaint of kidnapping and arson.
“On arrival at the scene‚ a group called themselves 'MASIFUNISANE' were found torturing another man accusing him of stock theft. Police started searching them and found two 9mm pistols with twenty rounds of ammunition‚” said a statement by police spokesman Lt Col Mzukisi Fatyela.
“Two men were arrested and six others were also arrested for kidnapping‚ six knives and two bush knives were confiscated. The man who was kidnapped was rescued and all eight suspects were arrested and detained at Elliott Dale Police Station.”
Masifunisane was thrown into the spotlight in 2014 when some people complained that they were living in fear as they had been assaulted by its members‚ who had accused them of various crimes‚ the Daily Dispatch reported in May.
Police ordered the group to stop acting against suspected criminals after some traditional leaders accused them of taking the law into their own hands.
The group has previously rounded up alleged rapists and cattle thieves and handed them over to police.
The eight men will appear in the Elliott Dale Magistrate’s Court on Monday related to charges of possession of illegal firearms and ammunition‚ kidnapping and assault.
-TimesLIVE
Source: TMG Digital.
Crime-fighting group face kidnapping‚ assault charges
Police arrested them near Mthatha over the weekend in reaction to a complaint of kidnapping and arson.
“On arrival at the scene‚ a group called themselves 'MASIFUNISANE' were found torturing another man accusing him of stock theft. Police started searching them and found two 9mm pistols with twenty rounds of ammunition‚” said a statement by police spokesman Lt Col Mzukisi Fatyela.
“Two men were arrested and six others were also arrested for kidnapping‚ six knives and two bush knives were confiscated. The man who was kidnapped was rescued and all eight suspects were arrested and detained at Elliott Dale Police Station.”
Masifunisane was thrown into the spotlight in 2014 when some people complained that they were living in fear as they had been assaulted by its members‚ who had accused them of various crimes‚ the Daily Dispatch reported in May.
Police ordered the group to stop acting against suspected criminals after some traditional leaders accused them of taking the law into their own hands.
The group has previously rounded up alleged rapists and cattle thieves and handed them over to police.
The eight men will appear in the Elliott Dale Magistrate’s Court on Monday related to charges of possession of illegal firearms and ammunition‚ kidnapping and assault.
-TimesLIVE
Source: TMG Digital.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos