Zimpapers Logo

Pretoria – Mpumalanga police have rescued two murder suspects from an angry mob after a body of a 19-year-old man was found in Delmas, Mpumalanga.

Sibongiseni Sithole’s body was found with head injuries and stab wounds to his upper body on Sunday.

Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said people went to Sithole’s grandfather and told him about his grandson and then took him to Botleng where his lifeless body was found inside an RDP house.

Mdhluli said police were also called to the scene together with paramedics who certified the young man dead.

“Police discovered that the victim sustained head injuries and stab wounds to his upper body. A murder case has been opened,” he said.

He said after leaving the scene, police received a call about an angry mob assaulting two victims.

“On arrival, police had hard times rescuing the victims and thanks to some members of the community who assisted in calming down the angry mob.”

He said a 25-year-old man was taken to hospital for medical treatment after sustaining injuries and was currently under police guard.

The other suspect, a 28-year-old man sustained minor injuries.

He was arrested and charged with murder.

Mdhluli added that a house belonging to one of the suspects was torched during the assault.

“It is further alleged that there were blood stains on the door and windows as well as substances suspected to be traditional medicines,” he added.

The two suspects are expected to appear at the Delmas Magistrate Court soon.

Meanwhile, provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela urged members of the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands as there’s high risk of destroying evidence.

“Certain crucial evidence could be destroyed when people burn houses or structures that police consider as critical places to build up strong cases against the accused persons,” she said.

IOL