Ivory Park Police Station detectives arrested two men in connection with a mob justice-related murder which took place recently.
According to the station’s spokesperson Captain Bernard Matimulane, the 24-year-old victim, who is from Ivory Park, was assaulted and killed amid accusations that he had, in the company of three other unknown people, committed a business burglary at a local tavern.
“The team of detectives, tasked with the investigation of murder within the Ivory Park Policing Precinct, started making contact with some stakeholders within the area. It was during these liaisons that they soon learnt that the victim was assaulted for allegedly stealing a television, liquor and money from a snooker table in the tavern,” he explained.
Matimulane added that the detectives further learnt that the victim was assaulted elsewhere, but later dumped at another location where community members found the body.
The two suspects, aged 31 and 34 respectively, are expected to appear in the Tembisa Magistrates’ Court where they have to answer to a charge of murder. “Even in light of this arrest, the Ivory Park detectives are hard at work to establish who else is involved in the murder as mob justice-related incidents tend to involve more people as opposed to just two.”
The Ivory Park Police Station Commander, Brigadier David Ngcobo condemned incidents of mob justice, adding that they will not in any way be tolerated. “Any law-abiding member of the community should have, under the circumstances, opened a case and worked closely with the police in bringing the alleged suspects to justice.
“As things stand, we do not even know if this burglary exists, yet a life has been lost. This has to be condemned by all of the law-abiding members of the community.”
Matimulane concluded that it was highly possible that more suspects may be identified as the investigation progresses.
Details: For any information relating to crime, please call 08600 10111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.
