Another suspected thief dies ‘on the job’

Within a week of a young man being fatally beaten by a mob in Mochudi over suspicion of criminal involvement, another incident occurred in Tlokweng, resulting in the death of a 30-year-old thief ‘on the job.’ The young man met his demise in the ‘line of duty’ after being apprehended by the public while attempting to flee an armed robbery in Magwading ward, Tlokweng. Tlokweng Police Station commander, Superintendent Unoziba Rari, provided insights into the incident, stating that the deceased and his accomplice initially attacked a 48-year-old woman in the informal sector, along with her son, as they returned home from work around 02:30hrs on Saturday. “Threatening them, they assaulted her son and snatched his mother’s handbag containing around P3,000 in profits for the day. While attempting to escape, the victims cried for help, and the public responded swiftly, catching one of the culprits and subjecting him to a brutal assault. The victims reported the incident to the police, who arrived at the scene, transported him to Mafitlhakgosi clinic, but he succumbed to the injuries while receiving assistance,” explained Rari. The victim, a Senyawe native renting a house in Tlokweng,

was fatally attacked, and efforts are underway to locate his escaped co-accused, Rari said. The assaulted mother and son sustained minor injuries and were treated and released on the same morning.

Rari urged witnesses to come forward, emphasising that taking the law into one’s hands is against the law. “Beating a suspected thief is against the law. I am warning members of the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands. We have seen launched investigations to arrest the suspects who fled the crime scene on arrival of the police,” he said.