Police in Mpumalanga have recovered the hands which were chopped off a 30-year-old man, who narrowly escaped death when he was kidnapped and brutally attacked on Wednesday last week.
The hapless victim lost both his hands when they were viciously amputated by a group of about six assailants. The 30-year-old was walking on the road in Vosman, in the early hours of the morning last week when he was abducted.
At the time of the attack, Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli said after the assailants chopped off the man’s hands, they took both the hands and fled the scene, leaving the 30-year-old writhing in excruciating pain and bleeding profusely.
The attacked man was later rescued by security officers.
In the latest update, Mdhluli has announced that the victim’s hands have been found.
“The investigators are hard at work in probing an attempted murder case and so far, the victim's hands have been recovered. The discovery of the hands spiralled from a horrific incident which occurred on March 20, 2024, when the 30-year-old victim was attacked by a group of six suspects who amputated his hands using a panga,” said Mdhluli.
“Emanating from this incident, detectives from Vosman, the K9 unit, the Criminal Record Centre, as well as the Investigative Psychology Unit revisited the scene on Monday afternoon, March 25, 2024, to search for the victim's hands.
“It was during this time when the astute members found the hands. This latest development will form part of the broader investigation,” said Mdhluli.
Meanwhile, Mpumalanga police commissioner, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has “reassured” community members that the team of investigators are working tirelessly to resolve the case.
Manamela said the assailants will be found and swiftly brought to book.
“Anyone who has information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects should call Detective Lieutenant Colonel Muntu Mbatha 082 600 8537,” the police appealed.
After the brutal attack, police said the assailants were travelling in a green Opel Corsa bakkie, which appeared behind the 30-year-old victim.
“The suspects pointed him with a firearm, grabbed and forced him into the bakkie, where they tied both his hands and legs. The suspects somehow communicated the message to him, that they were going to kill him, and according to the victim, that was the only thing he could hear from these men,” police said at the time.
“They then drove with him into the bushes and upon arrival, they alighted from the said bakkie. It was during this period when the armed men chopped his hands, and as if that was not enough, they took both his hands and fled.”
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