Mpumalanga residents allegedly killed a sangoma who was accused of being the mastermind behind the death and mutilation of six-year-old Bontle Mashiyane.
Samuel Tsela, a sangoma whose kidnapping, rape and murder charges were provisionally withdrawn in August due to a lack of evidence, was removed from his rented house at Mataffin in Mbombela, on Saturday evening. He was allegedly beaten and his body set alight by a group of community members.
After his original home in Mganduzweni was set alight at the time of his arrest, he had rented in Mataffin, where residents recognised him and warned him to leave.
“Police received a report about a mob justice incident. Preliminary investigation revealed the male was attacked by a group of people and they ran away when they saw the police. The male was identified as Mangebeletane Samuel Tsela. A case of murder has been opened and no arrests have been made yet,” police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala said on Sunday.
Anyone with information can contact Det-Col Thamsanqa Mkhaliphi on 082 469 2431.
Bontle went missing in April last year while playing with friends in her yard. A man had been seen speaking to her. Her body was found mutilated 21 days later in bushes not far from her home in Maganduzweni near Hazyview. Tsela was one of five suspects arrested in connection with her murder.
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Sangoma beaten, burnt to death to ‘avenge mutilation of girl’s body’
Charges against him were withdrawn due to lack of evidence
Image: Thulani Mbele
Mpumalanga residents allegedly killed a sangoma who was accused of being the mastermind behind the death and mutilation of six-year-old Bontle Mashiyane.
Samuel Tsela, a sangoma whose kidnapping, rape and murder charges were provisionally withdrawn in August due to a lack of evidence, was removed from his rented house at Mataffin in Mbombela, on Saturday evening. He was allegedly beaten and his body set alight by a group of community members.
After his original home in Mganduzweni was set alight at the time of his arrest, he had rented in Mataffin, where residents recognised him and warned him to leave.
“Police received a report about a mob justice incident. Preliminary investigation revealed the male was attacked by a group of people and they ran away when they saw the police. The male was identified as Mangebeletane Samuel Tsela. A case of murder has been opened and no arrests have been made yet,” police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala said on Sunday.
Anyone with information can contact Det-Col Thamsanqa Mkhaliphi on 082 469 2431.
Bontle went missing in April last year while playing with friends in her yard. A man had been seen speaking to her. Her body was found mutilated 21 days later in bushes not far from her home in Maganduzweni near Hazyview. Tsela was one of five suspects arrested in connection with her murder.
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