Members of the Nemukula family from Tshidongololwe, under the Thengwe Tribal Authority, are still seeking answers from the local Mutale police and a group of security guards from Oshamu Security and Trading, known as Tshiswole, after two brothers of the family were allegedly kidnapped and hit with sjamboks by the security guards. One of the brothers survived the attack, while the other one was beaten to death.
One of the victims, Mr Michael Nemukula (32), said he was lucky to survive after a group of people, allegedly members of the so-called Tshiswole, showed up at his girlfriend's house in Makonde last Thursday night (19th). He alleged that the men had forcefully taken him away and started beating him with sjamboks. The men were demanding to know the whereabouts of his younger brother, Lerrick Nemukula, refusing to let him go unless he showed them Lerrick's homestead in Tshidongololwe that night. The Tshiswole seemingly believed Lerrick to be involved in a case of malicious damage to property in the area.
At that time, Lerrick (30) was also wanted by the police in Mutale for breaching his parole restrictions. He was arrested for assault and sentenced to three months in prison, of which he had served one month. He was given parole by the Thohoyandou Correctional Services, but breached the conditions when the parole officers could not find him at home during a routine visit.
"I went to my homestead of Tshidongololwe village with the group of Tshiswole. Lerrick was found sleeping in his room that night and the guards forcefully took him too. I was feeling dizzy from the beating. My nose was full of blood. The Tshiswole beat Lerrick really hard, like they were trying to kill a dangerous snake. They used broom sticks, sjamboks and snooker sticks that belonged to my brother that they found in the house," Michael said.
"We as a family are shocked about what had happened, asking ourselves, if Lerrick was wanted by the police in Mutale, why was the private security company looking for him? Had the police assigned the Tshiswole to find him?" Michael wanted to know.
The managing director of Oshamu Security Trading, Vhamusanda Nyadzeni Ravhura, who also claims to be the acting traditional leader of Makonde village, has denied that members of his security company were involved in the kidnapping and assaulting of the two Nemukula brothers.
Acting Vhembe SAPS spokesperson Sgt Vuledzani Dathi confirmed that the Mutale police had opened an inquest, which had later been changed to a case of murder after Lerrick had died from his injuries.
"At about 23:00 on Thursday night, 19 January, a suspect (Lerrick Nemukula) was brought to the Mutale Police Station by a private security company, known as Tshiswole, as they alleged that he was a suspect in a malicious-damage-to-property case. After detention at about 23:30, the suspect started to vomit and was taken to the Donald Fraser Hospital for medical treatment under police guard. On Friday, 20 January, at about 05:30, he died. His next of kin (mother and older brother) were informed and taken to the Tshilidzini Forensic [facility] for body identification," said Dathi.
At the time of our going to press, no arrests had been made in connection with Lerrick's death. He will be buried in the Tshidongololwe graveyard on Saturday, 28 January.