VIGILANTISM has reared its ugly head again in the villages around Brits in North West.
This weekend alone, three such cases were reported at Maboloka and Mmakau villages where two victims were allegedly hauled in front of kangaroo courts and brutally assaulted with an assortment of objects, including pangas and knobkieries, on Friday.
One of them was left for dead and the other was rescued by police.
Police spokesman Sergeant Philani Nkwalase confirmed the incidents but claimed they were not common in the area. "It was just a coincidence," he said.
He said two cases were opened on Friday night but no arrests had been made. He said police investigations were continuing.
At Maboloka, 40-year-old father of five James Chuma was hacked with a panga and beaten all over the body with a variety of objects by a mob who accused him of stealing scrap metal.
The mob claimed to be taking him to a house from where he allegedly stole a wheelbarrow and two drums on Thursday morning.
"Instead they took me to Bafokeng section where a large group was waiting for us. Some claimed I was innocent while others said I was guilty. Those who fetched me said I was guilty and insisted that I be punished," he said.
Chuma, who claimed he was innocent, said yesterday he received six stitches at Letlhabile Clinic.
In the second case, Nkwalase said a 40-year-old man was assaulted by a mob at Lethabong section.
They accused him of killing his 40-year-old girlfriend, whose decomposed body was found hanging from a tree last week.
He said police were alerted and rushed to the scene and found him "critically wounded. He was taken to hospital and no statement could be taken from him as he was severely injured.
Nkwalase said they visited him in hospital and found he had been discharged and could not be found anywhere.
He appealed to the man to contact the Letlhabile police.
Scores of angry residents gathered outside Mmakau police station on Sunday morning and demanded police hand over a man arrested for the alleged kidnapping and murder of his neighbour's 11-year-old daughter on Saturday.
They said they wanted to "deal with him accordingly".
The man is expected to appear in the GaRankuwa Magistrate's Court today.
Two suffer serious injuries in North West vigilante attacks
VIGILANTISM has reared its ugly head again in the villages around Brits in North West.
This weekend alone, three such cases were reported at Maboloka and Mmakau villages where two victims were allegedly hauled in front of kangaroo courts and brutally assaulted with an assortment of objects, including pangas and knobkieries, on Friday.
One of them was left for dead and the other was rescued by police.
Police spokesman Sergeant Philani Nkwalase confirmed the incidents but claimed they were not common in the area. "It was just a coincidence," he said.
He said two cases were opened on Friday night but no arrests had been made. He said police investigations were continuing.
At Maboloka, 40-year-old father of five James Chuma was hacked with a panga and beaten all over the body with a variety of objects by a mob who accused him of stealing scrap metal.
The mob claimed to be taking him to a house from where he allegedly stole a wheelbarrow and two drums on Thursday morning.
"Instead they took me to Bafokeng section where a large group was waiting for us. Some claimed I was innocent while others said I was guilty. Those who fetched me said I was guilty and insisted that I be punished," he said.
Chuma, who claimed he was innocent, said yesterday he received six stitches at Letlhabile Clinic.
In the second case, Nkwalase said a 40-year-old man was assaulted by a mob at Lethabong section.
They accused him of killing his 40-year-old girlfriend, whose decomposed body was found hanging from a tree last week.
He said police were alerted and rushed to the scene and found him "critically wounded. He was taken to hospital and no statement could be taken from him as he was severely injured.
Nkwalase said they visited him in hospital and found he had been discharged and could not be found anywhere.
He appealed to the man to contact the Letlhabile police.
Scores of angry residents gathered outside Mmakau police station on Sunday morning and demanded police hand over a man arrested for the alleged kidnapping and murder of his neighbour's 11-year-old daughter on Saturday.
They said they wanted to "deal with him accordingly".
The man is expected to appear in the GaRankuwa Magistrate's Court today.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos