An elderly couple from Masoyi in Nelspruit has been necklaced by community members, allegedly for killing their own grandson, Mpumalanga police said on Tuesday.
The pair, aged between 75 and 80, however, were rescued by police and were being treated in a local hospital under police guard, said Brigadier Leonard Hlathi.
It was alleged that the couple was confronted by community members who had questioned them about the death of their 18-year-old grandson.
“Subsequent to the interrogation, the community members took the law into their own hands by setting the couple alight with tyres. Police were summoned to the scene and they rescued the victims. They (police) unearthed that the act by the community was sparked by the discovery of the body of the young man in the bushes not far from their house,” said Hlathi.
The young man was believed to have gone missing around January 19.
His lifeless body was discovered on January 24, which was the same day the community attacked the couple, said police.
“Preliminary investigations suggested that the young man may have been poisoned,” said Hlathi.
“Two cases have been opened for investigation - one for murder against the couple as well as two counts of attempted murder against the mob,” he added.
Arrests were yet to be made in connection with the attempted murder charges.
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