His oath, to go beyond the call of duty to serve and protect is what compelled a Metro police officer to thwart what would have been a vigilante attack on an alleged child kidnapper and allow justice to take its lawful course.
“What I did, is something I would do any day, but when my daughter told me that she is proud to be my child simply because of my actions, I actually felt that I had touched people,” said the humbled officer, Ettienne Lekay about his actions in response to the incident this past Saturday (5 March).
Lekay recalled intervening when he came across a group of disgruntled community members who were assaulting a man accused of kidnapping a baby in Macassar. “I was on my way home after my shift and upon turning into Beyers Naude Road, I saw about 50 people stoning a man. I stopped to investigate and was informed that the man kidnapped a one-year-old child. I then pursued the alleged suspect and apprehended him in Kramat Road. I interviewed the suspect and the father who confirmed the kidnapping and accompanied them both to the Macassar Police Station where a case docket was registered for kidnapping,” said Lekay.
A resident of Seikh Yuuf Street, recalled sreaming for help after seeing the suspect grab the child who was playing in the yard outside his house, and making a run for it. The resident aided by community members pursued the suspect, who is apparently known for his alleged drug abuse and resides in a backyard dwelling on the same premises as the child’s parents.
The 36-year-old suspect was detained and the child safely returned to his parents. The suspect appeared in the Somerset West Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
“Violence against women and children is arguably the biggest indictment of our society. We hear so many stories of children going missing, and often with the most horrific outcomes. While the police investigation into this matter continues, one shudders to think what might have been. I am extremely grateful that the child was found unharmed and I urge the community to let the law run its course. While we cannot condone violence against children, we also cannot tolerate mob justice. We instead should put pressure on the criminal justice system to ensure that cases are dealt with swiftly and fairly. Our staff member arrived in the nick of time and I commend him for his efforts in de-escalating the situation,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.
Ward 109 Councillor Peter Helfrich further lauded the community for their actions which helped save the infant from the alleged kidnapper, who “must face the full might of the law”. Helfrich further stressed the importance of local parents prioritising their children’s safety. “Never leave your children alone and make sure you know where your children are at all times,” he said.
He urged community members, as they have done in this instance, to be vigilant and instead of taking matters into their own hands, report any suspicious activities to police immediately.
DistrictMail made contact with the parents who merely expressed their anger following the incident which left their son traumatised.
