Business woman walks free after assaulting and torturing an orphan

DRIEKOP -T wo weeks after Thomas Paka (18) was allegedly tortured and assaulted by a well-known business woman, he still hopes justice will be served.

Driekop police haven’t yet arrested the shopkeeper and her two assistants who allegedly tortured the boy for hours as they are still investigating the incident.

Paka says he was kidnapped on October 24 and forced to sit in a wheelbarrow filled with ice for more than five hours- he was suspected of having stolen R2 700.

Still traumatised, the teen from Frans alleged that the problem started when their boss who owns a soft-drink wholesale depot in the area accused him of stealing the cash.

“I was instructed to return the money, but I repeatedly told her I didn’t steal it She then called two guys who tied me with a rope and started beating me. One pointed a gun at me and told me to give back the money while the woman took my house keys and drove to my home, ransacking my room and taking my clothes, blankets and R1 000 that I earned from her,” said Paka.

After the beating, Paka was allegedly tied on a wheel arrow and forced to confess. “They put four packs of ice cubes on my private parts The pain was unbearable and I was left with no choice, but to admit to the crime,” he explained.

He says he lost consciousness at few times during the torture.

Paka told Steelburger/Lydenburg News that the woman phoned every single number in his cell phone and threatened to kill him. “She even called my girlfriend and my baby. I was certain that it was my last day on earth, but I kept praying.”

According to Paka after the harassment, the woman left with her daughter and locked him in a storeroom.

“I managed to free myself and spotted a small gap in the corrugated roofing through which I managed to escape.”

Paka was admitted to Dilokong Hospital and discharged the same afternoon after which he went to the Driekop satellite station to open the case, but was told to come the following day.

He says the case was opened on October 29 as both the hospital and the station apparently didn’t have the necessary J88 form.

“I went with two constables to the store, they did not arrest her and she also refused to return my clothes saying we would meet in court.”

Mecklenburg police spokesman Const Mmatlou Elias Setati confirmed that a common assault case was opened and they were still investigating the matter. He promised to keep the paper informed on progress in the case.

A family spokesman Mr Piet Paka accused the police of ill-treating his family, “I doubt if we will ever be granted justice, because we always see police vans driving to the woman’s home,” he complained.

He says the alleged abuser was to appear in the Praktiseer’s Magistrate’s Court on Monday November 4 but she did not show up. The magistrate was seen allegedly talking with the accused over the phone.

Locals are not happy with they way in which police handled the matter.. According to several sources known to the paper, the suspect has assaulted a lot of her ex-workers, They also accused her of previously assaulting a pregnant woman and getting away with it.

“She comes to radio stations and newspapers claiming to be a saint and a born-gain Christian, hiding her cruel heart, it’s time she leaves our community,” they said.

The local councillor, Ms Joyce Riba, is also implicated in the matter as she allegedly tried to coax the Paka family to settle out of court. The locals also threatened to forcefully removed the accused from the area if justice was not served.

Steelburger/Lydenburg News’s attempts to get the suspect’s comments proved fruitless.