Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2013-11-11

A 45 year old man from Lenasia was brutally killed in an attempted hijacking on Sunday night. (10 November)  

Riad Malek along with his wife and nephew were on their way to drop off his son at the Hudson Street Masjid in Lenasia Extension 10 South of Johannesburg at 11pm when he was accosted by 6 armed men who attempted to hijack him.

A tow truck driver spotted the hijackers at the Trade Route Mall VW garage headed towards Lenasia Extension 8 area and alerted the Muslim Response Unit (MRU).  

The MRU along with the community gave chase and apprehended the suspects in Lenasia Extension 8.

Community members said that police allegedly took 45 minutes to get to the scene. They also said that once the suspects were loaded into the van it ran out of fuel and the suspects had to be transfered to another vehicle and taken to the Lenasia police station.

Captain Hector Netshivodza from the Lenasia Police Station told Radio Islam, the suspects who were aged between 18 to 19 years old shot the deceased attempting to hijack the car.

“The driver was shot dead and his wife sustained gunshot wounds. She was admitted to hospital while his 10-year old nephew escaped injury,” said Netshivodza.

Netshivodza said 6 suspects have been arrested and they will appear in court soon on charges of murder, attempted murder, attempted hijacking, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

(Twitter: @Faizie143 )