Police spokesperson, Stephen Thakeng, says the deceased was beaten to death by four suspects who are currently in police custody. He says this follows after a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) after he allegedly stabbed the complainant in his face with a knife at Saverite in Hoopstad Central Business District. The four suspects are alleged to have gone to the deceased’s place of residence and forced him out after the 29-year-old complainant reported him to residents, where they began to beat him until he was dead. Thakeng says police arrested four suspects aged between 32 to 37 years after they were identified. They will reappear in the town’s magistrate’s court to face a charge of murder.

He says irate residents threatened to burn the police vehicle after attending the scene but they quickly called for back-up from the Station Commander, Lettie van Eeden, and her team. Thakeng says following chaos with residents in that area the situation is under control as Public Order Policing members were deployed to ensure that they maintain law and order in Tikwana. Meanwhile, the Cluster Commander of Welkom, Major General Lerato Molale, condemned the killing of people through mob justice and encouraged residents to report crime to the local police for perpetrators of crime to face the might of the law.

OFM News