TRAIN commuters took the law into their own hands on Thursday last week when they severely assaulted an armed man trying to rob them.
Norkem Park SAPS took the severely beaten man to hospital under police guard after the incident, which occurred next to Kaalfontein Station around 11pm.
Capt Lesibana Molokomme, Norkem Park SAPS spokesman, said police officers stationed at Kempton Park Railway Station received a complaint of mob justice next to Kaalfontein Railway Station.
“On arrival they found the community [had] arrested a male suspect in possession of a firearm and ammunition, after having beaten him. The 20-year-old was arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm and armed robbery.”
Molokomme said an eyewitness said the suspect, with three other men, took a train from Leralla Train Station in Tembisa and saw all four get off at Kaalfontein. He further told police the suspects waited for commuters from the same train to get off, then held them at gunpoint, threatened them with knives and robbed them of their money and cellphones.
“The victims became brave enough to fight the suspects and managed to arrest one suspect in possession of a firearm. The other three managed to escape. The police are following information that can lead to the arrest of the remaining three suspects,” Molokomme said.
