Man says I can't 'forgive him' after losing his hands to a pastor over alleged theft of church electrical wires
South Africa, EPICSTORIAN – A man, Dumisani Mahlangu, whose both hands were allegedly chopped off in March by a pastor has said he felt bad seeing him in court and would never forgive the pastor.
Both hands of Mr. Dumisani were cut off by pastor Solomon his son and wife for stealing electrical wires belonging to the church.
Pastor Solomon Mhlanga, his wife Poppy, and son Enoch, facing attempted murder and kidnapping charges, briefly appeared in the Witbank Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 24 July.
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Dumisani ,30, was allegedly kidnapped while he was walking on Kroomdraai Road towards Extension 16 in Vosman, Mpumalanga.
The accused persons pointed Dumisani with a gun, tied his legs and hands after forcing him into a bakkie and threatening they were going to kill him.
According to DAILY SUN, they drove into the bushes, where they cut off a branch from a tree, placed his hands on it and chopped them off using a panga.
Dumisani told reporters that he was disgusted seeing his attackers in court for the first time after the horrible incident.
“I became disgusted when I looked at them. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive them. My heart is still broken by what they did to me,” said the victim.
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“I’ll never forgive them. I sometimes feel like my hands are there, but then realise I don’t have them.”
He added that he will only feel relieved seeing his attackers ‘rot in jail’.
“I’ll continue coming to court because I want to see justice prevail. I want them to rot in jail,” he said.
What the family of the victim, Dumisani, says
Dumisani’s dad, Johannes Mahlangu, according to the source, said it was ‘painful to see the suspects in court’.
“We’ll have to wait for the process although it won’t be easy,” Johannes said.
The suspects remain in the police custody, while the matter was adjourned to August 5 , 2024, for next hearing.
