A man in his 20s who’s alleged to have, together with his friend, robbed owners of a local store in Tswelopelo, near Ivory Park – was brutally assaulted by members of the community and later died of his injuries sustained.
The Ivory Park police were called to a scene of mob justice on December 12, in which one of the two men accused of robbing a Somali couple and shooting the man in the chest, had been caught.
On their arrival, the police found a severely assaulted man on the ground.
“He couldn’t speak and was quickly rushed to Tembisa Hospital, where he died the same night. The other suspect, who allegedly had a firearm, managed to flee from the angry community,” said the Ivory Park SAPS Communication Officer, Captain Bernard Matimulane.
Brigadier David Mbongeni Ngcobo, the station commander of the Ivory Park SAPS, has appealed to the community to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
He further appealed to the community that, whenever they have arrested an alleged criminal, they should immediately call the police – who are better placed to handle these kinds of matters, within the confines of the law.
“The problem with resorting to mob justice, is that the person who was initially wronged, may end up being the suspect and ultimately end up being arrested,” said Brigadier Ngcobo.
