The Provincial Commissioner of the North West, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane condemns two separate incidents where members of the community took the law into their own hands, leading to two deaths.
In the first incident on Sunday, 26 August 2018, at Letlhabile, the police were called to a local clinic at about 09:40 and informed of a patient that died after being brought in following an alleged assault at Newline Section, Maboloka village.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the unidentified victim was an alleged suspect in an armed robbery case recently reported in Letlhabile. According to information received, the victim in the armed robbery case, caught the victim and allegedly took him to his congregation that was in a night vigil. The alleged robber was then assaulted and died later the same day at the clinic.
In another unrelated incident in Skierlik, Brits, police arrested an unknown man for allegedly assaulting a 22 year old victim on Sunday, 26 August 2018. The said suspect was placed in the police vehicle for his own safety, awaiting the ambulance as he was also allegedly assaulted by community members.
Allegedly, about 300 community members quickly gathered and demanded the release of the suspect. As the number of members of the community increased, they became uncontrollable and poured the police vehicle with paraffin and assaulted police officers.
One of them sustained injuries on his face due to stones that were pelted at them. In the process, members of the community managed to remove the suspect from the police vehicle and assaulted and ultimately set him alight.
He was certified dead on the scene.
Although police back up came and stabilised the situation, a report was received that the 22 year-old assault victim also died later due to his injuries.
The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane is perturbed by these incidents. She said that incidents of lawlessness, including incidents of mob justice that often lead to killing of innocent persons, cannot be tolerated. She further and sternly warned members of the community that the police will not hesitate to deal with those who are responsible for these illegal acts.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
