Angry mob beats teen to death
2010-06-10 19:36
Nelspruit - An angry mob killed a teenager and seriously injured his friend after they broke into a house and stole items in Sun City village near KwaMhlanga on Thursday, Mpumalanga police said.
Sergeant Nonhlanhla Kgosana said a man, 31, walked his girlfriend out of his home in section B at about 07:00.
Two teenagers apparently saw the couple leave and entered the property, said Kgosana.
The youths, aged 18 and 19, broke open the door of the sitting room and took a DVD player, a TV set and several other electrical appliances.
"When the man came back shortly (after), he found them preparing to leave the house and blew the whistle," said Kgosana.
Community members came to the man's assistance and interrogated the pair.
Kgosana said the teenagers confessed to the crowd that they had also recently broken into other homes in the same neighbourhood and stolen various items.
"They also led the mob to the home of one of them, where several DVD players, TV sets and more electrical gadgets were found with an estimated value of about R20 000," she said.
"The community members got more furious and beat them with their fists, stones and anything that they could lay their hands on."
"They were rushed to KwaMhlanga Hospital in a serious condition, where the older one was certified dead on arrival," said Kgosana.
A case of murder was opened and the injured teenager was expected to face a charge of house breaking in the KwaMhlanga Magistrate's Court.
- SAPA