A Ugandan national on a mission of revenge against his father has been accused of setting the workshop of Nigerians involved in automobile dealings ablaze. Vehicle parts worth a million, five hundred and fifty thousand rands (R1,550,000.00), and nine cars were damaged in the flaming.
The incident occurred on the 5th day of September,2023 in Vom Hagen street in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. Mr. Owolabi Gbadamosi, an affected associate of the business, narrated that he was called around 7p.m of the fateful day. Gbadamosi and his colleagues had knocked off from work earlier that day around 6p.m, and left for their various homes in the Province.
When they got a call informing them about a fire at their business unit, they assumed it was the occasional transformer explosion that occurred within the vicinity. That often happens when thieves try to steal cables from the substation. Such blasts did not pose any significant damage to their shop. However, when they got close to the location, they saw flames that gave heads up of something serious.
When the partners individually arrived at the business property, the fire service were already at the scene trying to douse the inferno. Mr Tunji Balogun, also a cohort influenced by the incident, recounted how he tried to save some of the vehicles during extinguishing. But was advised against taking such hazardous action by the fire brigade. This was possibly due to the harmful toxic gases that emanates from such a scenario. Citing an explosion that could lead to severe injuries or death if a safe distance is not maintained.
Before the arson was perpetrated on the property, a Ugandan national, who was subletting part of the location in question was having a conflict with his son. The East African man had been operating an automobile spare part business on the property for 7 years. Sometime last year, he established the same type of business in Atteridgeville Pretoria,and handed over the motor vehicle components business in Vom hagen street to his son. According to eyewitnesses, this was because the Atteridgeville location was generating satisfactory net income.
His son then secured a loan from his girlfriend and began operation and became somewhat successful. In a new twist a month ago, The son of the Ugandan father whose name could not be verified at the time of writing this report carried out a twelve thousand rands (R12,000.00) transaction via his father's bank account. This was as a result of his inability to set up one for himself due to documentation challenges.
His father only remitted half of the money to him, and the deed infuriated him. The son questioned his father's handling of the situation. Asking how he is expected to make progress if he is not allowed to reinvest money made back into the enterprise. Unable to resolve their dispute, the father decided to reclaim the business from his son, taking advantage of possessing all the legal documents related to the business.
When his son would not vacate the building, after being verbally informed, the father decided to obtain a court order constraining his offspring from his and the business surrounding. Weeks before the son was alleged to have burned the business, things got so heated that he attempted to stab his father but was restricted by mediators. The son then threatened that it was not the last time the father would hear from him apropos the matter.
When the business location was set ablaze, the father could be heard continuously lamenting that the fire-raising was perpetrated by his son. It appears the major target of the arsonist was the portion of his father's business on the property, nevertheless it escalated to Mr Owolabi and co's businesses.
Nigerian Union South Africa(NUSA) representatives led by the Acting President Mrs. Doris-Ikeri Solarin have paid a courtesy visit to the scene and sympathized with our compatriots affected. Also present for the visit were Mr. Trust Owoyele(National Treasurer), Mr. Yomi Awosemo(National Assistant Welfare Officer) and Mr. Olaniyi Abodedele(Thevoice, NUSA Gauteng Chairman).
Prior to the visit, the Union had informed Mr. Christopher Oguri who is incharge of Consular matters at the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, South Africa. The goal is to exhaust every possibility within the laws of South Africa to see if our citizens can get some compensation that will bring some level of succor to them.
The suspected arsonist is still at large and a case docket has been opened at a Police Station.
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