Four arrested in Olievenhoutbosch following attacks on shops believed to be selling muti

Four people were arrested on Sunday evening in connection with attacks on shops in Olievenhoutbosch, Pretoria, Gauteng police said.

According to police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters, the attacks occurred after public order police attended to an incident in which a group of people raided shops believed to be selling muti.

Peters said the group “removed muti products and set the products alight”.

Although the crowd was dispersed, a bigger crowd later returned and set alight some shops that formed part of a chain of stores known to be selling muti.

“The group allegedly became violent and attacked the police nyala and the members responded by firing stun grenades and rubber bullets. The members then found another group allegedly looting a shop and arrested the four suspects,” said Peters.

Preliminary reports suggested that the incidents in the area stemmed from the arrest of someone last week after the discovery of the body of a woman who went missing in November last year.

The woman’s body was found on 16 January.

Peters added that police were monitoring the area.

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