The police have urged community members to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and carrying out mob justice as innocent people end up losing their lives for crimes they didn't commit. This comes after an angry mob in Kwabhokweni and Cau-Cau in Mpumalanga claimed the lives of six people on Friday in three separate incidents. SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said they are investigating a link between the mob killings and a liquor store robbery.  

THEY REACHED OUT 

Mohlala said the police initially received calls from two distressed people being attacked by the angry community. "One life lost is too many. Mpumalanga police have on several occasions called on community members to refrain from taking the law into their own hands, but Kabokweni police had their hands full when six people perished in the hands of the community,' Mohlala said. He said in the early hours of Friday morning, members responded to a mob attack in Sifunindlela Trust, involving two people, who were assaulted and eventually lost their lives. Mohlala added that not only did they attack people but the mob damaged property and burnt a house. Two victims were certified dead by emergency medical personnel on the scene, a third person was seriously injured and later succumbed to his injuries. 

MORE BODIES DISCOVERED 

Mohlala added that the police had a tough time in getting the deceased to the mortuary as a number of community members crowded the scene and obstructed police from performing their duties. Whilst police were still on the scene, they received a call that two other bodies - a 21-year man and 40-year-old man - were found with multiple injuries in Khumbula at about 2pm,' said Mohlala. Two hours later, Mohlala said police received further information about a sixth body which was found in the bushes at Clau-Clau. "Unconfirmed information links the first three victims to be the suspects in an armed robbery which took place at one of the liquor outlets in Emvangati, where they were allegedly identified by community members. Police cannot link the other three murders to the robbery and hope an intense investigation will reveal the real cause.' Only two victims have been identified so far and the other four remain unknown. Meanwhile, Provincial Commissioner Police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, issued a strong warning to community members to refrain from taking the law into their own hands, urging them to allow justice to play its role. "Other people might be victimised for hidden agendas by their accusers and end up losing their lives for crimes they never committed," she said.