Pretoria – Three people who were captured on video killing a 35-year-old man by stabbing and stoning him to death, before burning his lifeless body at a Marapong township in Lephalale, have been arrested.
Limpopo spokesperson for the South African Police Service, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the brutal incident happened on Saturday.
“The suspects later burned the victim’s body using a highly flammable substance. Soon after the incident happened, a 72-hour activation plan was ordered to hunt down the suspects,” Mojapelo said.
“An intelligence driven operation comprising Lephalale crime intelligence, Waterberg district detectives, Polokwane and Thohoyandou tactical response team was subsequently conducted until the early hours of (Wednesday) morning at about 4am.”
During the blitz, the three suspects of between 27 years old and 36 years old, were apprehended.
“The suspects were arrested while in hiding at Ga-Machaba village in the Senwabarwana policing precinct, Mojapelo said.
It is alleged that the victim was stabbed and stoned by the suspects next to a local liquor outlet. The assailants then set his body alight before they fled the scene.
The deceased man was identified by police as Jappie Moatshe from Kauletse Village in Ga-Seleka.
Acting provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Major-General Jan Scheepers has welcomed the arrest of the trio.
“We commend the members for arresting the suspects within a short period. We also thank community members for continuously assisting the police in the fight against crime by providing valuable information on crime and the suspects,” Scheepers said.
The suspects are expected to appear before Lephalale Magistrate's Court soon.
IOL