Kamogelo Baukudi: Case against cop postponed
The case against a police officer arrested in connection with the disappearance of 19-year-old Kamogelo Baukudi has been postponed until Friday.
The 42-year-old sergeant, who was arrested at the weekend, made his first appearance before the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
A charge of extortion has been added against the officer who was initially facing one count of kidnapping.
Baukudi was allegedly kidnapped last Thursday by two men driving a bakkie purporting to be police officers.
The incident was reported to police by his caretaker, Daniel Malebatso, who had been driving with the teenager after picking him up from school.
Malebatso told police that the bakkie the suspects were travelling in was fitted with blue lights on the grill and what looked like a police radio inside.
READ: Free State police search for kidnapped teen
According to police, investigations revealed that the car used in the alleged crime belongs to the South African Police Service.
“I think for now we can place him within the area where the incident took place. The vehicle itself places him there, and other aids which we are using also place him there,” said Free State police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele during an interview with the SABC.
KAMOGELO STILL MISSING
Makhele said the search for the missing teenager is ongoing, after a task team was appointed to lead the search.
“The main focus now is to get Kamogelo back home safe, and I think we have the ears and eyes of our community. We still appeal to them that wherever they pick up anything, let’s assist the team. That will help bring Kamogelo back.”
Baukudi was a pupil at a school for children with special needs.
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