Tebogo Msimanga |
A 23-year-old-man, Thabang Mokoena appeared for the first time in Atteridgeville Magistrates Court on Friday on charges of robbery, kidnapping, possession of dangerous weapon and extortion.
It is alleged that on 14 September 2021 a 30-year-old female, Tumisang Mokgatle was approached by Mokoena and a male accomplice driving a VW Jetta after dropping her child at a crèche in Wespark, Pretoria West.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) North Gauteng Regional Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the two males presented themselves to her as members of the SAPS Tracing Unit. “They indicated that a Polo Vivo motor vehicle belonging to the victim had a twin-vehicle that had been used in various robberies in the area.”
Mokoena and his accomplice then told Mokgatle that they were taking her VW Polo Vivo to Hartbeespoort Police station for verification. One of them drove her car and on their way, they tied Mokgatle up and put her on the boot of the vehicle.
Mhanjana added that they later dumped her Polo Vivo motor vehicle at Hartbeespoort Dam and was later found by the police on the same day.
“It is alleged that the two called Mokgatle’s brother, a practising attorney in Pretoria demanding R500 000-00 ransom money. On 15 September 2021 police received intelligence information that the victim was kept at Kgabalatsane, North-West Province.”
The police followed up on the information and found the victim tied in a certain house in Kgabalatsane. Mokoena was found with the victim in possession of a toy gun.
