Police have identified the two people who were killed during mob justice at Mabulana Village outside Bolobedu last Sunday.
Provincial Police Head of Corporate Communication Motlafela Mojapelo said the deceased were identified as Clement Machethe from Matshwi Village and Chris Ntshaupa from Matipane Village in the area.
Polokwane Observer reported last week that the Police are worried about the escalation in mob justice incidents of which the latest occurred at Mabulana where two suspected robbers were taken from an ambulance and beaten to death. “Police are investigating two cases of murder and one of malicious damage to property. It is alleged that three suspects robbed a Somali businessman at Block 6 of the village and took an undisclosed amount of cash and four cell phones. The community in Block 6 reacted by attacking the suspects of which one managed to escape,” Mojapelo said.
It is reported that two were apprehended by the community and beaten. The Police and medical services responded to the scene. “An ambulance transported the injured suspects but communities of Matshwi and Mabulana already communicated with each other blocking the road the ambulance is supposed to travel. They stopped the ambulance and launched an attack. Medical personnel managed to escape on foot whilst the community took the two suspects from the ambulance assaulting them to death,” Mojapelo said.
The ambulance and a Police vehicle were also damaged. No arrests were made yet.
Police are also still investigating a case of murder at Mafeane Village near Atok where an unknown man was stoned to death by community members the same day. It is believed that the man entered the house of one of the residents who started to scream thinking it was an intruder. The community acted quickly, apprehended the man and started pelting him with stones and other objects until he died. No arrests have been made yet.
Story: RC Myburgh
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Featured photo: The scene in Mabulana Village outside Bolobedu where two suspected robbers were beaten to death by the community. (photo supplied)