Johannesburg - The brutal murder of a Nigerian man who was struck on his forehead with a brick, has left many stunned as the callous act is carried out in full view of at least two police officers who had been trying to calm the situation down.
The suspect, a Nigerian man, is expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where he will face a murder charge.
The incident happened in Kempton Park on Monday, just before 7pm.
Video footage of the incident went viral on social media on Tuesday, where two Nigerian men are seen having a verbal and a physical confrontation, before one of the Nigerian men allegedly strikes the other with a brick in the head. The victim is seen dropping to the ground instantly after being allegedly struck with the brick.
The incident happened in front of police officers, who had been trying to calm the situation down as the men squabbled. It is not known why the men had been fighting.
During the fracas, the suspect is seen allegedly brushing one of the police officers aside, before he allegedly strikes the deceased with a brick which he had found on the side of the road.
Friends of the deceased retaliate, hitting the suspect with a plastic chair and physically confronting him, tearing his T-shirt. Police officers responded quickly to arrest the suspect and put him in the back of a police van.
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubela said the police officers tried to intervene when they found the men fighting at the corner of Long and Casurina Street, in Kempton Park.
Police arrested a Nigerian suspect and charged him with murder after he allegedly struck a fellow Nigerian man with a brick on his head during a dispute in Kempton Park. Picture: Screenshot
“Police went to intervene and during the intervention one of the Nigerian picked up a brick and hit another Nigerian on the forehead and the victim fell down and was bleeding from the mouth and nose.
“The suspect was immediately arrested for attempted murder. The victim was taken to Arwyp Hospital for medical treatment,” said Makhubela.
Just under 24 hours later, the victim died at the Arwyp Hospital just after 3pm, on Tuesday.
Police said the suspect was now being charged with murder and he was expected to appear at the Kempton Park Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.