Hartebeesfontein - Five men accused of kidnapping and attempted murder were denied bail by the Hartbeesfontein Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, North West police said.
They allegedly set alight a man after accusing him of theft. Mangaliso Bonde, 29, Zamani Bonde, 26, George Bonde, 32, Thembi Xandibe, 23, and William Sitele, 19, would be back in court on February 6, Captain Pelonomi Makau said.
“Because of the kind of crimes allegedly committed the magistrate's court does not have the power to grant the men bail,” she explained.
“Therefore they will appear in court on February 6 for a decision on whether the case would be transferred to the Klerksdorp Regional Court.”
The men allegedly went to Jan Lephadi's house in Tigane on January 25, and accused him of breaking into their houses. They searched Lephadi's house, but could not find anything. They allegedly assaulted and dragged him to his grandmother's place to find the items they accused him of stealing.
When they could not find anything, two of the men locked Lephadi in the boot of a car and drove him to a bushy area.
“They allegedly poured petrol over him and set him alight,” Makau said at the time.
Lephadi managed to take off his T-shirt and rolled on the ground to extinguish the fire. He sustained burns to his head and back.
Lephadi has not been arrested on theft charges.
Sapa