WHEN Mafologela Mataung was allegedly caught stealing, he expected a beating from an angry mob.
But the people had a much worse fate waiting for him.
They took the suspect (22) to his parents’ house, where they handed him a rope – and forced him to hang himself!
The shocking incident happened in Botshabelo, near Hoedspruit in Limpopo, early last week after residents questioned Mafologela.
Police spokesman Sergeant Livhuwani Mulaudzi said people accused him of housebreaking.
“We condemn what the people did. Taking the law into their own hands is a crime. At the end of the day they end up being arrested.
“We understand that the suspected thug was forced to hang himself. It is a murder investigation and those who participated will be arrested,” he said.
Mulaudzi said the police are worried that this trend could escalate as it was the second time a suspect had been forced to kill himself.
“We again appeal to communities to first call the police whenever they apprehend a suspect so that justice can be done.”
Five people who were part of the incident were arrested on Thursday and briefly appeared in the Hoedspruit Magistrates Court.
They will appear again this Thursday for their formal bail application.
