LIMPOPO – This brings the total number of suspects arrested to nine, said Police Spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
“These arrests emanate after residents went on the rampage on Sunday afternoon and torched four houses belonging to people they suspect to be responsible for the death of an Lesedi Malatji (18). She died in December 2017 but the circumstances surrounding her death were never reported to the police.”
According to reports one of the arrested suspects is considered to be the instigator behind the incident, he added.
All nine suspects are expected to appear before Mecklenburg Magistrate’s Court today (Thursday 18 January 2018).
The Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has commended all members involved for spending sleepless night to ensure that justice prevails. “The arrest of these suspects will send a strong message that any acts of vigilantism will not be tolerated”, said General Ledwaba.
January 16
LIMPOPO – Four suspects, including the 55-year-old father of Lesedi Malatji (18) who died in December 2017, have been arrested in connection with the torching of houses at Ntsoaneng village on Sunday 14 Janaury 2018.
This was confirmed by Police Spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, who said this incident was sparked after several residents blamed three local families, the owners of the torched houses, for the suspected poisoning of the young woman.
The said incident has left four families and 17 family members from three of the four families displaced. They have been temporarily accommodated at the local police station, said Mojapelo.
The arrested suspects will appear in Mecklenburg Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of public violence and arson. More arrests are still expected, Maojapelo concluded.
15 January 2018
Four homes torched during ‘witch hunt’
LIMPOPO – The police in Mecklenburg are looking for a group of suspects who are responsible for the burning down of four houses at Ntsoaneng village near Burgersfort on Sunday afternoon during a ‘witch hunt’.
According to Police Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, it is understood the incident comes after a group of residents accused of three local families of practicing witchcraft following the death of a Lesedi Malatji (18) in December 2017. The rampaging residents allegedly pursued one of these families until the police intervened and took the family under police protection.
“At around 14:30 this same group later mobilised and went on to torch four houses which belong to the three families they had previously accused of practicing witchcraft in the village,” he said.
Members of the Public Order Police have since been deployed to the area to assist in stabilising the situation.
Cases of public violence, arson and contravention of the suppression of witchcraft act have been opened for investigation and several culprits have since been been identified.
A manhunt for the accused continues and the police request anyone with information which can lead to their arrests to contact the police on 0860010111 or Capt Mosoma on 0824143070, concluded Mojapelo.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has condemned in the strongest possible terms, these barbaric acts of vigilantism. ” Residnets are strongly warned to desist from accusing others of witchcraft and then resorting to attacks and destruction of properties,” said General Ledwaba. “Those responsible will be hunted down and will be dealt with accordingly,” he concluded.
