SHOP OWNER IN CUSTODY FOR MOB MURDER

A shop owner based in Clayville Extension 71, near Midrand, is expected to appear in the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for a mob justice related murder allegedly committed on Saturday.

The 40-year-old suspect was picked up from his store in Clayville yesterday following a preliminary investigation into the murder that led the police to him.

“It is alleged that the victim in the murder was apparently assaulted by community members at the suspect’s store. This happened after the victim and his friend attempted to rob the suspect in his store. The two were locked inside the store by the suspect and his assistant and the community came and began to assault the duo. One of the suspected robbers managed to escape but the deceased, since identified as a resident of Kaalfontein, wasn’t lucky. He was assaulted, dumped at an open space and left for dead. He was taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries yesterday, “ said Captain Ben Matimulane, the spokesperson of the Ivory Park SAPS.

The Station Commander of the Ivory Park SAPS, Brigadier David Mbongeni Ngcobo, has welcomed the arrest, warning the community to desist from taking the law into their own hands.

“The community did well by catching the suspect but spoiled all by resorting to assaulting him instead of calling us as the police,” said Brigadier Ngcobo

Problem with mob justice is that he or she who was originally the victim becomes the suspect and, eventually, a prisoner, the Brigadier said.

Brigadier Ngcobo added that the community should continue to work with the police by reporting crime at all times.