Pretoria – Provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe has assembled “a high-level team” of investigators to work around the clock in hunting down assailants who brutally killed four people and burned their bodies during a vigilante incident at Majeje village under Namakgale policing area outside Phalaborwa.
The horrendous event happened on Thursday.
“The victims were accused by community members, of having committed a business robbery and murder which took place earlier in the morning in which a foreign national, identified as Asanap Aneso aged 25, was allegedly gunned down in his tuck shop and also robbed of an undisclosed amount of money at Majeje village,” Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said.
Preliminary reports indicate that three suspects entered the Easy tuck shop, pointed firearms at the owner and demanded money.
“One of the suspects then shot him (Aneso) dead and all three fled the scene after taking the money. Community members chased the suspects down, cornered and stoned them. They thereafter burned their bodies,” Mojapelo said.
The fourth victim, identified by police as Themba Makhubele, 35, was also stoned to death and set alight after he reportedly produced a firearm and allegedly pointed it at the angry mob.
Meanwhile, Hadebe warned that incidents of vigilantism will be dealt with harshly.
“We issue a stern warning that acts of vigilantism which are often characterised by brutal killings of people suspected of having committed crimes will be dealt with harshly and perpetrators will face the full might of the law,” she said.
Cases of business robbery and five counts of murder have been opened and the hunt for the suspects is under way.
“Anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the suspects may contact Lieutenant-Colonel Lilian Mahlathi on 082 469 1240, crime stop number 08600 10111, the nearest police station or MySAPS App,” the police said.
IOL