MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The death of 18-year-old Isaac Daniels, who died horrifically on 27 December 2015 at the hands of seven perpetrators who accused him of theft has finally been avenged.
Regional court magistrate Yono this week found them guilty of murder and kidnapping. The perpetrators will be sentenced at a later date. At least seven members of the community of Dalisile Street, KwaNonqaba, accused Daniels of the theft of some clothes.
Scores of people, including the seven accused and even children as young as six and seven years old were encouraged to attack Daniels with, among others, the handle of a pickaxe, golf clubs and stones.
At the time of the arrest of the initial number of perpetrators, the residents of Dalisile Street staged a mass demonstration outside the court and demanded that the accused be released on bail.
One of the accused, a 58-year-old woman, was also convicted of murder and kidnapping on the basis of common purpose as she incited the crowd by supplying a tyre and insisting that the victim be burned to death.
At the time of the incident the Dalasile Street residents were particularly obstructive towards the police. They tried to intimidate the investigating officer, Sgt Rudi Swanepoel, and stones and rocks were thrown at the KwaNonqaba Police Station, damaging the windows of one of the outside temporary offices.
Eventually, and with the help of members of the police Sea Border Unit, Sgt Swanepoel managed to arrest the suspects in the dead of night. The arrests angered the Dalasile Street community, who even became violent towards members of the Public Order Policing unit. They stormed the police station and made demands that the police should never again visit Dalasile Street, insisting that the area be regarded as a no-go area for police.
Despite the severe intimidation, Sgt Swanepoel managed to arrest all of the accused, successfully charged them and through hard work and dedication built the case docket with evidence that eventually led to the conviction of all of the accused.
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