Kestell business owners ask for justice

By Emily Setona

KESTELL – Japie Mokeona an ANC councilor for ward 3, and his assistant Mfana Masondo are to reappear in the Kestell Magistrate’s Court on February 22 for several charges that have been brought against them after an incident that happened in Kestell’s Botha Street.

When speaking to The Guard Azim Hossain the chairman of the business community in Kestell had this to say about the incident; “On the 1st of January 2023 Japie Mokoena and his assistant went to several of my members’ shops looking for bribes. He told the business owners that everybody who is running a business in Kestell must pay him. When one of the business owners refused to give him money, he assaulted him.” After being assaulted the business owner ran to the police station to report the incident.

According to a police report Mokoena and his assistant damaged property at a Bangladeshi business owner’s shop, assaulted him and when he ran to the police station, they followed him and continued to assault the man at the police station and damaged some property inside the station.

Both Mokoena and Masondo were immediately arrested and detained. They appeared before the Kestell Magistrate’s court on January 4 and were charged with two counts of assault with grave bodily harm, two charges of malicious damage to property and one count of theft. Masondo was released on R2000 bail while Mokoena was released on R 7000 bail.

Both will reappear in the Kestell Magistrate’s court on February 24. The Hossain and a group of members from the Kestell business community marched to the police station saying that they need justice for what Mokoena is doing to their business community.