Nelspruit - A 31-year-old man was burnt to death in Zoeknog, Acornhoek in an apparent mob justice, Mpumalanga police said on Monday.
Mpumalanga provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma said community members burnt the man on Saturday at Zoeknog Trust, in Acornhoek.
"On Saturday, 13 January 2018, members of the local police station received information that a man was being burned at the above-mentioned place and they promptly responded only to find that the victim was already burnt to ashes. He was a suspect in a murder case wherein a 16 year old girl was allegedly raped before being stabbed to death on Monday, 07 January 2018," Zuma said.
Zuma appealed to the community not to take the law unto themselves, no matter how emotional or strongly they may feel about a particular matter. This followed sporadic incidents that take place from time-to-time in the Acornhoek Cluster.
He further urged members of the community to co-operate with the police and courts in ensuring that criminals were removed from society and sent away.
"I hereby make an earnest appeal to our people to co-operate with the criminal justice system by reporting criminals and making statements to the police so that criminals may be sentenced accordingly."
The police have opened a murder case for investigation and request the community to work closely with them by submitting information that may assist in the prosecution of those responsible.