Patrolling police officers stopped a man suspiciously moving a wheelie bin down a main road near Bethlehem.
Free State police have registered a case of murder after a man died while being transported in a wheelie bin.
A suspect was arrested on Monday morning when patrolling officers noticed a man suspiciously moving a black refuse bin.
The suspect will appear in the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Argument over cellphone
Bohlokong police stopped the suspect along a main road running through the suburb at approximately 8am on Monday.
Inside the bin, officers found a severely injured man who had suffered several bruises and a cut to the back of his leg.
The victim had suffered heavy blood loss from the cut, and emergency services were called to attend to his wound.
“Paramedics removed him from the bin, but sadly, he succumbed to his injuries while being stabilised,” confirmed Free State police spokesperson Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring.
Police established that the suspect and the deceased had engaged in an argument over an allegedly stolen cellphone that had been sold.
The victim is believed to have sustained the fatal cut from a sheet of corrugated iron while attempting to flee the altercation.
“The suspect was reportedly taking the injured victim to the buyer’s house in Phase 7 when police intervened,” stated Mophiring.
Vigilante stats
According to the latest crime statistics, police reported 608 serious crimes related to vigilantism or mob justice.
Between January and March this year, 319 murders were reported nationally in connection with vigilante justice actions.
Additionally, 214 cases of assault causing grievous bodily harm and 75 attempted murder cases were reported after community members took the law into their own hands..
Police have previously warned against individuals or groups administering their own forms of punishment, asking that matters be reported to authorities.
