By Obakeng Maje
Phokeng-Police are investigating cases of Murder, Arson, Malicious damage to property and Public Violence after three men were allegedly being killed and properties set alight in Freedom Park Informal settlement in Rustenburg on what appears to be a mob justice.

The police said the incident took place on Saturday in the afternoon when two Lesotho Nationals allegedly arrived at a local tavern and started shooting and injured two men.

“The latter were then taken to Ferncrest and Job Shimankane Tabane hospitals respectively” brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

Ngubane said that on the early hours of Sunday, the mob went on the manhunt and apprehended one suspect  and took him to the shebeen where they torched the shack before burning him alive.

“The second victim was caught,  stripped naked and tried to escape by running into a neighbour’s shack, however he was caught and allegedly murdered by the mob” Ngubane said.

The suspects were both found with multiple stab wounds and it is apparent that both victims were stabbed with sharp objects before being killed.

Police said at approximately 13:00 on Monday a crowd of about five thousand people went to a local businessman who is alleged to have been harbouring criminals including the two that were killed yesterday.

The crowd allegedly looted his shop, burnt his properties including a house as well as his vehicles and killed him. 

Several shacks were torched in the process.

“Police have deployed Public Order Policing to ensure calm in the area. We appeal to the community to refrain from talking law into their own hands. We encourage law-abiding citizen to respect the rule of law” he said.

Police seized a firearm with five rounds of live ammunition and one spent cartridge casing. The firearm will be taken for ballistic testing.

No one has been arrested at this stage for the crimes and investigation continues.-TDN
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