9 arrested in connection with death of man following QwaQwa mob attack

The police have arrested nine suspects from Kgoptjane section of Bolata Village in Qwaqwa after they allegedly assaulted the man accused of stealing their belongings and he died instantly on the scene.

According to the provincial spokesperson Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring, it is alleged that on Monday, 03 January, at approximately 17:00, the Tseki police were summoned to a crime scene at Kgoptjane section where community reported assault of a man by group of people.

On their arrival, the police discovered the lifeless body of a man lying on the ground near a Primary School with multiple visible injuries and was declared dead by Emergency Medical Service.

It is further alleged by eyewitness that at about 15:15 he was at residential place with the cousin when a group of people arrived carrying sjamboks accusing the man of stealing their belongings.

“Suddenly, they allegedly started beating him until he became unconscious. An ambulance was summoned to the crime scene and person identified as Themba Petrus Pali (25) of Semphurwaneng section of Bolata Village in Qwaqwa was declared dead,” revealed Mophiring.

The suspects were also found at the crime scene in possession of sjamboks and nine of them were arrested and detained.

The nine suspects aged between 21 and 39 have been charged and are expected to appear before the Tseki Magistrate court on Wednesday, 5 January, facing charges of murder.

Condemning the community mob justice, the Free State Provincial Commissioner, Lt General Baile Motswenyane said: “Taking law into one’s hands has never been a solution within any society to curb crime.”

“When patrolling our villages and self-initiated community patrollers, it doesn’t give us the right to assault any person suspected of having committed any form of crime.

“The person must be apprehended and handed over to the police without any injuries.

Everyone is regarded as innocent until proven guilty before the court of law. I want to applaud the police for arrests made,” added Motswenyane.