Two men were arrested and appeared in the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court on Friday 19 November following their arrest for their alleged involvement in the running of a bogus rehab centre in Ruyterwacht.
Among them was a 15-year-old, whose case was withdrawn while his alleged 40-year-old acquaintance remains locked up until his bail application will be heard on a yet-to-be-determined date.
A 37-year-old is believed to have been the owner of the drug house masked as a rehab facility, who was the last one to be caught and will appear in court on Thursday 2 December.
A case of assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm has been opened against him. He is yet to appear in court.
The bust comes after a 35-year-old man was reported missing at the Elsies River Police Station on Tuesday 16 November.
Police spokesperson Capt FC van Wyk says reports suggest that family members of the latter could not get hold of him after he was admitted at the centre.
“The investigating officer then went to the facility in Louis Botha Street where he was confronted by patients claiming to be victims of abuse and assault,” Van Wyk says.
The case was opened after a 35-year-old victim from Tafelsig alleged that he is a patient at the centre and he was assaulted.
“According to him, he was nailed at his feet, hands tied and set alight after being doused with sanitiser.”
The other two suspects were the first to be arrested and kept in police custody.
Van Wyk says an inquest was initially registered after the missing man was found to have died and his body found at a mortuary. The inquest has since been subsequently changed to a murder.
- Anyone with information that could help with the investigation of this case is urged to inform the police on the Crimestop line 08600 10111, or call the Goodwood Police Station on 021 592 4430.
