THE teenager who allegedly tried to set alight the petrol pumps at a service station on De Wiekus Road had indeed been charged. Thabang Kobe (19) appeared in court on Monday last week in connection with malicious damage to property. He was denied bail.
When questioned by Express about her statement that the owners of the business did not want to lay charges, Const Sharon Mahamba, spokesman for Sebenza SAPS, said it was all a “misunderstanding”. She said she referred to a case at another service station.
A representative of the service station showed Express CCTV footage how the teenager allegedly tried to set alight two of their petrol pumps. The whole ordeal started at 8.24pm on Saturday, January 18, when he walked past the station. He came back with matches which he allegedly used to attempt setting alight two pumps.
He held burning matches to pumps’ nozzles. The footage shows how he tried eight matches at one pump. He then went to a second pump, where he was not successful and gave up.
When he did not succeed in setting alight the pumps, he allegedly removed all the pump nozzles, tossing it into the forecourt. He then disappeared and came back with a huge piece of concrete which he allegedly threw through the glass door. The concrete went through the door on his third attempt after which he casually walked off.
