Mob justice – three killed for alleged stock theft

Five suspects were expected to appear in the Lebowakgomo Magistrate’s Court earlier this week in connection with an incident during which three persons accused of stock theft were allegedly killed by a mob outside Lebowakgomo on Friday.
The incident happened at Dithabaneng Village in Ga-Mphahlele and Provincial Police Communications Head, Motlafela Mojapelo indicated that last Wednesday nine heads of cattle belonging to a man from neighbouring Makurung Village were allegedly brought to the premises of a family in the area for safe keeping until the owner could organise a trailer to transport them.
On Friday the owner returned with a bakkie and trailer but before he could take his cattle community members mobilised and accosted the 46-year-old woman and owner of the premises where the cattle were kept, according to Mojapelo.
He added that community members threatened to kill her but let her free when she managed to point out the person who delivered the cattle initially. The already agitated community members allegedly grabbed the man and two others and stoned them before setting them alight, according to Mojapelo.
Police were called and found that two people had already succumbed to their injuries on the scene while the third person later died in hospital.
Provincial Police Commissioner Nneke Ledwaba has ordered that the persons responsible for what he described as an inhuman act be hunted down and brought to book.
The five suspects are facing three charges of murder as well as malicious damage to property after the vehicles used to transport the cattle were also torched.

Story: RC Myburgh
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