Following an unsuccessful attempt to recover the body of an alleged robber last night, witnesses, police officials and divers were again on hand this morning to search.
The man who drowned in the Ncandu River near Hardwick Street bridge yesterday afternoon. Bystanders were tense and quiet as they observed the divers working.
The father of the young girl who was robbed yesterday afternoon was called to pinpoint the exact location where the man was last seen struggling to keep his head above water and calling for help.
After roughly 40 minutes in the water, one of the police divers requested Captain Andrè van Staden to join her.
Captain van Staden was in the water directing the search. Shortly thereafter, it was confirmed divers found the body trapped under a large tree stump.
A hush fell over bystanders, as the body was extracted from the river.
Two cell phones were found in his pocket. However, it could not be confirmed whether it was the property of the young woman he had allegedly robbed.
Of the many who gathered to witness this grisly scene, one homeless resident offered unconfirmed information on the alleged robber. “He had come from Durban and had been living on the streets in Newcastle for the past few months.” According to the resident, the man was known only as “Action” to other homeless men in the area.
The investigating officer for the case collected the items in the man’s pockets as evidence. Although unconfirmed, a case of common robbery was opened last night.
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