The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has condemned in the strongest possible terms the brutal murder of two men who were hacked to death and burned during a mob justice incident at Sebjeng village, Ga-Molepo. The charred bodies of the deceased were found by the police yesterday on Tuesday, 22 October 2019.
The deceased were allegedly kidnapped on Monday, 21 October 2019, by community members from different villages of Ga-Molepo, apparently accusing them of Stock Theft. They then took them to a community hall at Sebjeng gaMolepo where they were severely assaulted.
The victims were thereafter taken to the bushes next to the old Setlakalane High School where they were burned. A motor vehicle belonging to one of the deceased was also found torched a few kilometres from the scene.
“The people who committed these vigilante acts will be hunted down and brought to book”, said General Ledwaba. “South Africa is a Constitutional democracy where the rule of law reigns supreme and in which the presumption of innocence must be granted until proved otherwise by the court of law.
People must report anyone they suspect of being a criminal to the police and not take the law into their own hands,” concluded General Ledwaba.
The deceased were identified as Thabana Mokgohloa aged 58 from Ga-Mothapo Nnoko and Mack Mashapa aged 55 from Ga-Magowa. The police are investigating the possibility that a third person might have suffered the same fate.
Cases of two counts of murder and kidnapping have been opened for investigation and a manhunt is already underway. Anyone with information that can assist the police in the investigations is requested to contact the nearest police or may call the Crime Stop number 0860010111.
