Justice served for mob justice victim
Court hands out hefty sentences to four men found guilty of a mob justice incident in which a 22-year-old man was killed in 2019.
Mamelodi East police have welcomed the hefty sentences handed out last week Tuesday to four men, aged between 34 and 46, for taking the law into their own hands.
This came after the Pretoria regional court sentenced three of the men to 33 years imprisonment and another for 35 years for the murder, assault with intend to do grievously bodily harm and kidnapping of a 22-year-old man in October 2019.
The four men are Jomo Zimena (35), Thuhloane Wicliff (34), Velaphi Sethela (46) and Motloang Mahoane (39).
According to police spokesperson Constable Lethabo Mashiloane, the case started when Mamelodi police received a call from Stanza Bopape clinic of a death on arrival.
“Officers quickly attended to the complaint and found the body of a man who was beaten by group of people in Phomolong informal settlement in Mamelodi East.”
Detective Sergeant Jack Diphofa was assigned to investigate.
He followed the leads and obtained required witness statements around the informal settlement and collected evidence that led to the arrests of the four men.
“Thanks to his thorough investigation, the four accused were found guilty.”
Their sentencing is broken down as follows: murder (22 years imprisonment); two assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm cases (six years) and kidnapping (five years).
The fourth accused got an extra two years for contravention of the immigration act.
Local SAPS management believed the sentences would send a strong message that mob justice would not be tolerated.
They commended the investigating officer for working tirelessly to ensure the suspects pay for their crimes.
“I would like warn the community that taking the law into their hands is a crime and we won’t turn blind eye to it,” said station commander Brigadier Terence Naidoo.
“Community members should instead report any crimes to the police.”
Mashiloane said the police discouraged in the strongest possible terms as such action is unlawful.
“If there any suspicion of criminal activity, residents must report it to the nearest police station instead,” said Mashiloane.
Any illegal activities can be reported to the Mamelodi East station at 012-815-7079, 08600-10111 or the MySAPS App.
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