Nine arrested for taking the law into their own hands – SAPS Crime Report: 2022-01-04 12:36:59

South African Police Service

Office of the Provincial Commissioner Free State

TSEKI – Police have arrested nine suspects from Kgoptjane section of Bolata Village in Qwaqwa after they allegedly assaulted a man accused of stealing their belongings and he died instantly on the scene.

It is alleged that on Monday, 03 January 2022 at approximately 17:00, Tseki police were summoned to a crime scene at Kgoptjane section where the community reported the assault of a man by a group of people. On their arrival at the scene the police found the man lying on the ground near a Primary School with multiple visible injuries and was declared dead by Emergency Medical Service. 

It is further alleged by eyewitness that at about 15:15 the man was at a residential place with his cousin when a group of people arrived carrying sjamboks accusing the man of stealing their belongings. Suddenly, they allegedly started beating him until he became unconscious. An ambulance was summoned to the crime scene and the deceased identified as Themba Petrus Pali (25) of Semphurwaneng section of Bolata Village in Qwaqwa was declared dead. The suspects were also found at the crime scene in possession of sjamboks and nine of them were arrested and detained.

The nine suspects aged between 21 and 39 have been charged and are expected to appear before the Tseki Magistrate court on Wednesday, 05 January 2022 facing charges of murder.

“Taking the law into one’s hands has never been a solution within any society to curb crime. When patrolling our villages and self-initiated community patrollers, it doesn’t give us the right to assault any person suspected of having committed any form of crime. The person must be apprehended and handed over to the police without any injuries. Everyone is regarded as innocent until proven guilty before the court of law. I want to applaud the police for the arrests made”, says the Free State Provincial Commissioner, Lt General Baile Motswenyane.

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