Pretoria – Police in Limpopo have arrested four people in connection with the brutal murder of four people at Majeje village under Namakgale policing area outside Phalaborwa.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the four victims were murdered on Thursday last week.
“The provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe has commended the police task team comprising crime intelligence, tracking team and detectives for arresting four suspects aged between 18 and 38 in connection with the brutal murder of four people at Majeje village under Namakgale policing area outside Phalaborwa on Thursday 9, June,” Mojapelo said.
The four were murdered, and their bodies set alight soon after a business robbery at a local spaza shop. The owner of the small business had been shot dead, before community members allegedly pounced on the four.
“Soon after the incident, the provincial commissioner established a team to track down the killers. The suspects were arrested in the early hours of Saturday morning, 11 June 2022. More arrests are expected,” Mojapelo said.
He said the four suspects will appear before Namakgale Magistrate’s Court this morning, facing four counts of murder.
Police investigations are still continuing.
Last week, Mojapelo said the four slain men were accused by community members, of having committed the business robbery and murder in which a foreign national, identified as Asanap Aneso aged 25, was allegedly gunned down in his tuck shop. The shop robbers allegedly got away with an undisclosed amount of money.
Preliminary police reports indicated that three suspects entered the Easy tuck shop, pointed firearms at the owner and demanded money.
“One of the suspects then shot him (Aneso) dead and all three fled the scene after taking the money. Community members chased the suspects down, cornered and stoned them. They thereafter burned their bodies,” Mojapelo said.
The fourth victim, identified by police as Themba Makhubele, 35, was also stoned to death and set alight after he reportedly produced a firearm and allegedly pointed it at the angry mob.
IOL