Home South African Suspected copper cable thief stoned to death by community

Suspected copper cable thief stoned to death by community

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A man who was ferrying copper cables in a Limpopo village was intercepted by community members and stoned to death, while his vehicle was torched.

An unknown man was stoned to death and his body burnt beyond recognition in a mob justice incident. File picture

AN UNIDENTIFIED man was murdered in an apparent mob justice incident at Sehunyane village in Limpopo’s Sekhukhune District.

The incident happened on Sunday, at around 1am, according to Limpopo provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.

“An unknown male person was stoned to death and his body burnt beyond recognition by unknown people in a mob-related incident. The vehicle used by the victim was also burned to ashes,” Ledwaba said.

Police were alerted by an anonymous person about the incident and they responded “swiftly” .

“It is alleged that the victim was found with a load of copper cables in the back of the motor vehicle, an Opel Corsa van, that he was travelling in, when he was stopped and attacked,” Ledwaba said.

“The motive of the murder is unknown at this stage and the deceased also is unknown.”

The acting provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Limpopo, Major-General Jan Scheepers, has strongly condemned the act of vigilantism.

Scheepers urged members of the community to refrain from taking the law in to their own hands.

“As the provincial management, we have ordered the investigation team to immediately launch a manhunt for the suspects of this senseless killing and bring those responsible to book,” he said.

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