MPUMALANGA Sthembiso Amon Mchumu (36) was found guilty and sentenced to five years direct imprisonment in the Middelburg Regional Court on Monday, 17 February 2020 for attempted kidnapping.
The accused was further sentenced to an additional five years imprisonment which is wholly suspended for four years on condition that he is not found guilty of the crime of kidnapping or attempted kidnapping during the period of suspension. The court further declared Mchunu unfit to possess a firearm.
The accused stood trial for an attempt to kidnap a child at Aerorand Middelburg on the afternoon of 21 August 2018, where he forcefully grabbed a child and bundled him into his vehicle but was stopped by bricklayers in the vicinity before he could get away with the child.
Preliminary investigation on the scene established that the abandoned vehicle was rented from Avis in Johannesburg. The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation linked Mchumu who is originally from KwaZulu Natal to the crime. He was consequently arrested on the 31 December 2018 in Ladysmith following an investigation.
The Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Major General Zodwa Mokoena has applauded the investigating and the judiciary teams for the conviction.
Source: South African Police Service