Charges against five suspects in Kamogelo Baukudi’s kidnapping have been dropped.
The 19-year-old was kidnapped early last month, while on his way home from school.
A police sergeant arrested in connection with the kidnapping of teen Kamogelo Baukudi is back in court for a bail hearing.
The five men, who were accused of abducting Kamogelo Baukudi, have indicated that they intend to sue the state as they claim they were assaulted and wrongfully arrested.
Investigators linked Adoons to the police vehicle used in the abduction of 19-year-old Baukudi, a pupil at Martie du Plessis School in Bloemfontein.
The boy went missing for several weeks after being abducted while walking home from school.
Legal analyst, Advocate Inez Bezuidenhout says reasonable suspicion alone can prompt arrests.
The men were later released after police discovered there was no evidence linking them to the alleged kidnapping.
Bezuidenhout says should the men take the legal route, they would have to prove beyond unreasonable doubt that their arrest was unjustified.
Meanwhile, the bail hearing of the 42-year-old police officer who has been charged with kidnapping Baukudi and extortion is set to continue in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court, with the Investigating Officer expected to take the stand.
The case involving 42-year-old police officer, Nzima Adoons, and five of his co-accused linked to the kidnapping of 19-year-old Kamogelo Baukudi has suffered a minor setback.
Adoons was supposed to appear alongside his co-accused before the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Monday after his bail application was moved to July 3 for a further bail hearing.
However, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the matter involving his co-accused could not proceed as the ongoing investigation is yet to link the suspects to the alleged crime of kidnapping and extortion.
“Please note that the matter will not be enrolled as the investigations are not concluded. The court could not enrol the matter because there is no link between the suspects and the crime. The accused is remanded in custody until his next court appearance,” said NPA provincial spokesperson, Mojalefa Senokoatsane.
On Monday, ahead of the court proceedings, SAPS provincial spokesperson for the Free State, Motantsi Makhele, indicated that the prosecution had upgraded the case from Schedule 1 to Schedule 5 due to the seriousness of the charges.
“After the arrest of the five suspects on Friday, there was consultation with the investigation team and the prosecution team that they will add these five suspects alongside the sergeant this morning, as they will face the same charges of kidnapping and extortion. We anticipate that out of this, there might be other people added
