Mob arrested for stoning to death two brothers in Limpopo

The mountainside on the outskirts of Letebejane Village in Limpopo where two brothers were stoned to death. Picture: Supplied

The mountainside on the outskirts of Letebejane Village in Limpopo where two brothers were stoned to death. Picture: Supplied

Published Jan 29, 2020

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Cape Town - Limpopo police have arrested four men and four women in connection with the stoning death of two middle-aged brothers in an apparent case of mob justice that took place on a mountain outside Letebejane village.

According to Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, preliminary investigations in Rakgoadi, near Groblersdal, had linked the double murder to the disappearance of a 23-year-old man in June, while he was fishing in the Oliphants River with a group of people that included the two brothers.

The missing man, Peter Phathlamohlaka, has not been found.

Mojapelo said that two weeks ago, while police were busy probing the disappearance, members of the community attacked the two brothers, Lukas and Willem Seloma, at their homes, after accusing them of involvement in the case.

"The Public Order Police (POP) unit was activated and the situation was stabilised." 

A case of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm had been opened, but nobody was arrested.

The community then again went on the rampage last Thursday. They barricaded streets, pulled learners out of schools and demanded that the two brothers revealed what happened to Phathlamohlaka.

"The unrest situation continued until Monday, when community members dragged the brothers to the nearby mountain and stoned them to death," Mojapelo said. 

The police were alerted and deployed a helicopter, but on arrival made the "gruesome discovery of the bodies covered with tree branches".

It appeared that the mob was planning to torch the bodies but dispersed as the police approached. 

POP have been deployed in Letebejane again to restore calm.

The eight suspects are aged between 19 and 44. They will all appear in the Motetema Magistrate's Court on Thursday, on two counts of murder and public violence, Mojapelo said.

The two brothers were 46 and 47-years-old.

African News Agency (ANA)

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