'Evil spirits' thief opens case against attacker

A self-confessed thief has opened an attempted murder case against one of the men he says attacked him.

A video showing a vigilante attack on Kgohli Lekhuleni went viral earlier this week. It showed him being buried up to his chest as a group of people surrounded him. He was struck in the head with a shovel.

Now Lekhuleni has laid a charge against a man he says was part of the attack.

• Buried man can't believe he's alive"Everyone wanted me dead," said a man forced to dig his own grave after being accused of being a thief by his community.

Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said both the alleged victim and the alleged attacker were behind bars on Wednesday – one for attempted murder and the other for theft.

• ‘Evil spirit makes me steal’ - Vigilante victim speaks after he was forced to dig his own grave“I thought I was going to die the most painful death because everyone wanted me dead‚” said Kgohli Lekhuleni‚ 27.

They would appear in the Mapulaneng Magistrate’s Court in Bushbuckridge‚ Mpumalanga‚ on Thursday. Police said the incident happened on Monday.

“Both men later came to the Bushbuckridge police station where they reported cases against each other‚ one for attempted murder and the other for theft. They were both arrested on the spot and charged accordingly‚” said Hlathi.

On Wednesday‚ TimesLIVE traced the man who was seen being beaten and half-buried in the footage.

He had just been discharged from hospital.

He told TimesLIVE that an “evil spirit” forced made him steal.

An emotional Lekhuleni said: “I was beaten before for stealing and I survived‚ but still I continue to steal and I cannot blame the fact that I am unemployed‚” he said.

“But what happened to me has taught me a lesson not to forget.”

He said he thought he would die.