A Mentally challenged man was shot dead in Lavender Hill after leaving mosque early Thursday morning.
The family of Fatje Mustapha, 47, say they are heartbroken after seeing his bloody body, which was found on a veldjie.
A relative, who asked not to be named, says Fatje had a mental disability and walked with the aid of a crutch, and was defenseless against the armed skollies.
Fatje had no children and lived with his sister.
The relative says he had planned to go to the day hospital after mosque.
“Every morning he went to the mosque across the field. He left home early this morning and went to pray and he told us he will go straight to the day hospital because he must fetch his tablets. But then they came to tell us he is lying on a field.”
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana says a murder case has been opened for investigation after his body was found on a field in Blode Street, shortly after 7am.
“The body was discovered at about 7.10am on an open field in Blode Street, Lavender Hill. The victim was found with a gunshot wound in his head. Circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation, with no arrests so far,” says Rwexana.
Fatje’s relatives say they are baffled by his death as he was not robbed.
“They shot him but they also hit him and we don’t know why. He had nothing that they could steal but they beat him up and hit him lots of times,” they say.
“He used a stick to walk and cannot fight people so he can’t defend himself.
“He gets a disability grant and lives off that. His sister went to the morgue this morning to see if we can get the body for the janaazah but we don’t know if we will get it today.”
The family says they want justice for Fatje.
“We just want to see the people that did this get arrested because he did not deserve this. He was harmless and a funny man.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Steenberg police on 021 702 9000.