Community torches dog owner’s home
Dogs’ owner ‘punished' after boy’s death in Mtubatuba
WEEKS after a five-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of vicious dogs in Mtubatuba, an enraged community took matters into their own hands last week.
Violence broke out when an angry crowd accused the dogs’ owner of killing the boy for muthi and burned down his property.
According to KwaMsane Police spokesperson, Capt Jabulani Mdletshe, the rampage started on Tuesday evening when a group of fuming female residents forced entry into Melusi Dlamini’s property and torched his rondavel.
Reports suggest when the crowd couldn’t find Dlamini at his house, they assaulted his wife hoping she would reveal her husband’s whereabouts.
She was saved in the nick of time when police arrived at the scene, and a 65-year-old woman, who apparently spearheaded the attack, was detained and charged.
Only two days after the first attack, another group of residents set another of Dlamini’s rondavels alight.
During the second attack, which happened at 4am on Friday, one resident was shot in the right leg and thigh and was later rushed to hospital.
Even though the victim claimed someone at Dlamini’s house shot him, there is no evidence to support the claim according to the police.
Police arrested three suspects aged between 23 and 33 and charged them with arson.
The violent attacks followed the death of Buhle ‘Khuluza’ Mthethwa (5) last month.
The young lad was mauled to death by a pack of dogs inside Dlamini’s property.
The boy had volunteered to buy some household goods for his frail grandmother at the tuck shop on Dlamini’s property when the incident happened.
Unaware the dogs had been left unattended, Buhle entered the premises.
The vicious pack dragged his defenseless body to the kraal where he was set upon and killed.
Police have condemned the attacks, pleading with communities to follow proper channels to voice their dissatisfaction and allow them to investigate the incident.
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