Durban - A young Durban businessman who was assaulted and threatened at gunpoint by a group of so-called Pretoria gangsters says he’s lucky to be alive.
Aadil Osman, 22, was verbally and physically abused for about an hour. His torture was captured on video by one of his attackers and has gone viral.
The three video clips, of two minutes each, show Osman being repeatedly punched in the face and at one point a gun being pointed at his face.
Speaking to the Tribune Herald, Osman said he wants justice.
“It’s even more humiliating now that the video is out. I haven’t been sleeping well since the incident and it has taken a toll on my family.”
Osman and his family travelled to Pretoria last month for a wedding. There, he met a man whom he congratulated on his engagement.
Osman said the man was friendly and invited him to spend time with him the next day.
“I knew who he was and that he was recently engaged to an old friend. He offered to pick me up the next day and show me the town,” said Osman.
Osman accepted the offer.
“He picked me up from the hotel where I was staying and there were two other people in the car.”
They began to swear at me, saying that I had been calling his girlfriend and that he would kill me for that. They beat me up badly and pointed a gun to my head,” said an emotional Osman.
In the video, the alleged gangsters are heard saying to Osman: “Do you know who I am? I am Chicky Lamba. I will kill you and f***ing put your whole family in my back pocket.”
While Osman was being assaulted, someone recorded the incident and it has been circulating on social media sites Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
One Instagram profile was created called Laudium_Cardboard_Gangsters which reflects the incident and already has a following of almost 1 000 people.
Osman’s father, Baboo Osman, said the family were still receiving threats from the alleged gangsters.
“My son is epileptic. He could have had a serious attack and lost his life. We are all traumatised by the incident,” he said.
He added that he did not open a case with local police, but instead would take it to the highest office so that action would be taken.
“I have contacted the Hawks, who will investigate. I even went to the extreme of writing to the president’s office. They should be behind bars,” said Baboo.
Laudium SAPS spokeswoman Captain Louise Steynberg said one person was arrested on Thursday. The other two have not yet been arrested.
“The matter is under investigation and the suspects are being charged with assault, intimidation and pointing a firearm,” said Steynberg.