Protesters support mob justice accused

Civilian group members claim they ’ re unfairly targeted by police

Madakiya residents protested outside the Whittlesea magistrate s court on Tuesday where a 58-year-old suspect was due to appear in connection with an alleged mob justice murder that took place in the village on Saturday.

The residents protested in solidarity with the accused, who The Rep was told was a member of a civilian group, Iliso Lomzi.

Payo Vanara, chairperson of the organisation in Whittlesea, said the woman who had been arrested was being unfairly targeted by police because she was a part of Ilso Lomzi.

“We feel threatened by the police too. They are harassing all of us as if we are the criminals,” said Vanara. The victim of the weekend mob attack was killed after he was accused of stealing goods from a Madakiya resident.

According to Vanara, he was attacked by residents after the goods were retrieved from people he had sold them to. The community took justice “into their own hands because of frustration with crime.

“The accused is an elderly woman who arrived after he had already been attacked,” he said.

He said the protesters felt the case was not being fairly handled by the police.

“We hear they want to arrest other members as well,” he said.

Tembani Jack, who identified himself as a member of the community policing forum, said the person who the deceased had allegedly stolen from had also been arrested.

Jack claimed this was proof that the police were targeting Iso Lomzi members.

We are now being targeted “by young men at night who want revenge for the mob justice.

“They ransacked the house of the person who their friend [the deceased] had robbed because they have allowed themselves to be in cahoots with these people who are a problem in our community. “The police keep telling us they are coming for us,” said Jack. Police spokesperson Capt Namhle Mdleleni said: Whittlesea police arrested a 58-year-old man for a murder case.”

While police told The Rep that the accused was a man, residents claim a woman has been arrested.

It is alleged that police “received a complaint of assault in which victim Gcobani Shasha was assaulted.

On arrival, the victim had “already passed away.

The suspect was arrested “and appeared before the Whittlesea magistrate s court ’ and was remanded in custody for further investigation.”

The accused is due to appear in court again on July 1.