Extension One man feared missing after assault (plus exclusive video)
No charges had been laid against Llewellyn
Llewellyn Wallenstein (23), from Extension One, went missing under mysterious circumstances on February 18.
According to brother Leshaan (24), five men arrived at the family home with a bloodied Llewellyn in tow.
He believes that his younger brother had been a victim of a mob justice attack by these men who claimed that Llewellyn had attempted to burglarize the home of a 76-year-old man who formed part of the group.
Leshaan said, “They were travelling in a white bakkie and said that they would be taking him down to the Eldorado Park Police Station where they would be laying charges.”
“I was too afraid to go with them because he was bleeding a lot from the beating they had given him.”
On his father Barney’s return from work, they set off for the police station to enquire about the charges supposedly laid by the men; but the police were unable to provide answers but confirmed that no case had been laid and that they were not holding anyone named Llewellyn Wallenstein.
Fortunately, Leshaan was able to identify the 76-year-old as an Extension One resident. The family, desperate for answers at this point, had him arrested on kidnapping charges on February 20.
Barney Wallenstein is issuing a heartfelt plea to potential witnesses to come forward with any information which may lead to his son’s return in the video below.
His release from the holding cells a few days later had the family questioning how he could have been released given that he was with the four men who had beaten and bundled Llewellyn into a bakkie under the pretext of taking him to the police station.
According to the senior Wallenstein,”I asked him how he could claim not to know where my son is or who the other four were if he was riding in the bakkie with them.”
The man remains tight-lipped about Llewellyn’s whereabouts and the family, fearing the worst, have searched at a number of police stations, hospitals and mortuaries servicing the greater Eldorado Park area.
Eldorado Park Police communications officer, Captain Phillemon Khorombi said, “There was insufficient evidence to hold the 76-year-old indefinitely. We do, however, believe that there are residents who witnessed the assault and we are appealing to them to come forward as they may be able to identify the other four men in this case.”
“This is a serious matter which highlights the importance laying a charge at the police station instead of resorting to mob justice attacks.”
Khorombi added that people should not delay in reporting incidents at the police station while reiterating that alleged criminals enjoy the same rights in our constitution and should not be beaten by residents who have a mob mentality.
