Mob attacks, hacks shoots inyanga Jericho pastor to death
SITEKI – A 58-year-old traditional healer of Mvabuhlungu, an area under Gilgal Inkhundla, was on Saturday evening hacked several times by a mob and shot dead.
According to a family member, Joseph Mbokodvo Gadlela was attacked by the mob of over 20 residents of Mvabuhlungu situated at Hluthi.
The traditional healer doubled as a pastor of Mahushulwane Jericho Church and he met his death at around 6:30pm when the mob stormed his homestead. The family member said one of his assailants was carrying a rifle, while the rest were armed with axes and bush knives.
Last week Monday, a 55-year-old man of Mphaphati under Siphofaneni Inkhundla was allegedly attacked and killed by a group of 15 community members who suspected him of stealing their livestock.
According to a community member, who requested that his identity be concealed for security reasons, the members of the community attacked Bukhosi Dlamini after being informed that he was linked to the theft of livestock.
The family member said Gadlela received several anonymous calls threatening him before his death.
It was established that Gadlela’s two sons were arrested after being implicated in goats theft just a week ago.
It was also revealed that the late traditional healer reported the threatening calls to the police but they failed to come on time due to lack of vehicles at the Siphofaneni Police Station.
The family member claimed that neighbours who were also implicated in stock theft were behind the death of Gadlela.
“He then informed family members about the threatening calls and further called his son to come home,” said the family member.
Adding, the family member said Gadlela tried to convene a meeting with their neighbours to try to thrash out their differences, but they swore that he would be sorted out for accusing them of being involved in stock thefts since they bought cars yet they were unemployed.
“My father was hacked with axes and bush knives when he tried to flee his assailants and shot in the stomach. They threatened to shoot my brothers when making attempts to save him,” alleged the family member.
Arrested
Worth mentioning is that eight people have been arrested in connection with the mob justice that took place at Nkonka in Matsanjeni three weeks ago, when four men were set alight and killed.
Another recent incident of mob attack also saw a 25-year-old man of Sitsatsaweni being heavily assaulted by a mob, after being allegedly found raping a 32-year-old woman with whom he was enjoying alcoholic beverages on New Year’s Eve.
Also in January this year at Luhlokohla area near Ngculwini, one was killed by a mob in connection with stock theft.
Moreover, the source mentioned that the deceased hailed from Mphumakudze area under KaPhunga Constituency and was also a resident at Mphaphati.
In December last year, the officers from Lubulini Police Station made a breakthrough after successfully arresting a man who was driving a Honda Fit at Lubulini loaded with 20 goats suspected to have been stolen around Siteki.
Meanwhile, in November last year, Siteki Principal Magistrate Dumsani Magagula acquitted 19 of 25 residents of two communities under the Siphofaneni Inkhundla on the basis that they obeyed the granted restraining order to the late Mabhensane Primary School Head teacher Sayinile Irene Sikhondze.
The late head teacher was gunned down by an unknown person while at her home situated at Nceka area under the constituency.
Worth mentioning is that this court order has been issued at the backdrop of the mob attack of about 200 residents at the late head teacher’s home implicating her of stock theft.
Meanwhile, in December 2021, a Toyota bakkie valued at over E65 000, which was transporting 26 goats was torched by a mob of 20 men from Kashoba area after suspecting that the goats were stolen.
Jobe Ngcamphalala, the car owner from Ncandvweni area under Lubulini Inkhundla said he spent E19 200 when buying the goats from different homes situated at Kashoba.
He said he also lost E5 700 cash stashed in a bag together with his tablet and a cellphone valued over E3 400.
Ngcamphalala, who is a truck driver at the Ubombo Sugar Company, said he also lost documents like passport, public driving permit, blue book of the torched car and his work garments.
This incident happened barely two weeks after a 24-year-old, Big Bend High School Form V pupil; Dwana Mbhamali was assaulted and tied in a tree by a mob of 10 people from the same area after also suspecting and accusing him of stealing 23 goats from the same area.