Mobsters loot house of innocent suspected kidnapper

Mob justice that has become a way of life for communities in Vhembe took an ugly turn last Monday when angry residents at Tshisahulu Thavhani went on the rampage, blockading streets with rubble and burning tyres.

The residents' main concern was the disappearance of a local man, who had had a fight with another local resident over a phone. The actions by the mob who had gathered at the village's main Tshisahulu-Duthuni road escalated to the home of the man who was suspected of kidnapping the missing man. After not finding their suspect, the mob decided to break into the house, looting the man's belongings and burning a bed outside the house.

As if that was not enough, they even tried to carry off the man's double-door fridge, but failed. This was an act of mob justice that went awfully wrong.

While the mobsters were busy with their destructive act, word came that the missing man had resurfaced. He told the community that he had been with relatives in another village and that the man they suspected had nothing to do with his disappearance. By then, irreversible and severe damage had already been done.

The whole house was left upside down, having been ransacked by the looters.

Ms Phophi Mulovhedzi (27), who is the sister of the man whom residents were looking for, said that they had heard rumours that they were to be attacked that day and decided to move in with relatives as a precautionary measure. "Our worst fears were confirmed when a group of unknown people attacked our home. Luckily no one was around, otherwise things would have gone very wrong as we could have been injured or killed for nothing."

She emphasised that her brother had done nothing wrong, “but people who hate him framed him for something he did not do. The worst part is that they decided to steal his belongings, which shows that this was an act of criminality.”

She added that the people had cleaned out the whole house and stolen clothing meant for a new-born baby. “I hope this will serve as a lesson to the community, that they should not just take the law into their own hands because innocent people will end up hurt. My brother would have died for nothing.”

Limpopo police spokesperson Lt Col Moatshe Ngoepe confirmed the incident but cautioned residents not to take the law into their own hands. "People taking the law into their own hands is breaking the law themselves and is an offence on its own."

He said that the police expected from the communities to hand over suspects to them "and not beat them."

Date:22 October 2017

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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