[ad_1]
By Mphathi Nxumalo 
11h ago
Durban – Six men charged in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of Tongaat teenager Andile ‘Bobo’ Mbuthu appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Mlungisi Thabethe, 26, Andile Nhleko, 27, Mncedisi Mzobe, 27, Siyanda Msweli, 26, Lindani Ndlovu, 26, and Malusi Mthembu, 27, were arrested. On Friday, police recovered human remains near a Tongaat river.
Although DNA tests have yet to confirm if the remains were those of Mbuthu, the community believe the men dumped his body in the area, and that the teen’s body was dumped at the river.
The matrix pupil had gone missing after he was accused of stealing alcohol from a local shisanyama lounge in Hambanathi, Tongaat.
The matter was postponed until next Tuesday for verification of the accused’s living address.
A crowd of more than 100 residents picketed outside court on Monday. The protesters, who ignored social distancing and gathering lockdown rules, were told to disperse by the police.
Mbuthu was reported missing by his family after he was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted on suspicion of stealing alcohol from a local lounge.
His family had alleged that on Tuesday last week people came to their home in a car, looking for Mbuthu, who was not home.
The Daily News reported that later in the day Mbuthu was seen being pulled into the same car, allegedly by the owner of the lounge.
Later, the family learnt he was allegedly lying limp at the lounge. They rushed to find him, but were told he had allegedly escaped.
Last week, a gruesome video of the assaulted teen surfaced on social media. In it, the teenager was seen lying in an empty, tiled room, with blood on the floor.
In the video that was shared on social media, the person filming walks in shouting Mbuthu’s name, telling him to get up and clean the room.
The person pushes him with a stick, telling him to turn over while he is lying on his stomach. A powerless Mbuthu is heard murmuring that his body is in pain as turns to the camera, revealing his battered face.
The video went viral, leading to calls for ‘Justice for Bobo’ on social media and within the affected community.
On Friday, following the questioning of six suspects, who were later arrested on Thursday, police were led to a river in oThongathi, where human remains were found.
And on Friday night, the establishment, believed to be owned by one of the accused, was razed to the ground. This happened as people from the community sang and danced while it was burning.
Police said at the time they were investigating public violence, arson and malicious damage to property charges.
Daily news
[ad_2]
