Teboho Setena
The police officer arrested regarding the kidnapping of Martie du Plessis Special School learner Kamogelo Baukudi (19) is continuing with his bail bid in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court. Sgt. Nzima Philemon Adoons (42) was the first suspect apprehended, while the other five were arrested at Wepener on Friday, 27 June.
Kamogelo has since been reunited with his family in Bloemfontein. Adoons reappeared in court alone on Monday, 30 June, to continue with his application bid. This followed his arrest on 7 June, two days after Kamogelo was abducted while in company of his driver, Daniel Malebatso.
Adoons mentioned in court that he was arrested after he had been questioned by Maj. Gen. Arthur Peter Adams, Mangaung Metro district commissioner, at the cluster offices on Friday, 6 June.
He is charged with kidnapping and extortion.
Adoons’ legal team is claiming he was not involved in the highly publicised kidnapping of Kamogelo, as is indeed being alleged by the state.
The police’s intensive investigations began on 5 June, after Kamogelo’s mysterious kidnapping in Bloemfontein. He was kidnapped shortly after being fetched from school by his driver.
The five suspected kidnappers, aged between 20 and 29 years, were arrested during the police’s intelligence-driven operation at a house in the Kanana and Kwetla locations, respectively.
Brig. Motantsi Makhele, spokesperson for the Free State police, said two of the suspects had been caught on the road between the Kwetla location and Wepener town. Kamogelo was found with them in the vehicle they were travelling in.
He said the investigations were ongoing to try to piece the puzzle of Kamogelo’s kidnapping together.
The learner was reportedly kidnapped on Thursday, 5 June, at approximately 11:55, after the vehicle he had been travelling in was stopped by two men who presented themselves as police officers, and accused Kamogelo and his driver of transporting drugs.
The police reported that Kamogelo’s driver, whilst driving along Vereeniging Drive in the Erlichpark Extension, purportedly heard a siren from behind their vehicle, and was pulled over by a white double cab Toyota Hilux GD-6.
According to the information the driver provided to the police, the bakkie had been fitted with blue lights on the grill, as well as what looked like a police radio inside.
One of the suspects were wearing a police uniform and the other a blue tracksuit.
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