MOB KILLS CHURCH INVADER

NHLANGANO – A church invader was killed by a mob after allegedly disturbing congregants during a service at Hosea on Sunday.

It was gathered that the deceased, Sethu Gumedze (18), went into the church premises while imbibing alcohol and upon arrival; he left the bottle of alcohol next to the entrance and went inside the church. Sources revealed that he sat inside the church and the congregants reacted to the strong smell of alcohol coming from him. It was said that he was allegedly confronted by the pastor, who requested that they step outside and engage in a conversation. Allegations are to the effect that the deceased allegedly drew a Three Star knife and threatened to stab the pastor with it. The pastor is alleged to have made calls to some of his relatives to come to his rescue.

Teenager

It was alleged that the now deceased teenager ran to a neighbouring homestead where he asked to be locked in as there were people baying for his blood. He was referring to the people who had been called by the pastor to assist him. Among the people, it was said, were at least two congregants, who left the service and followed Gumedze. It was said that he then escaped through a window and went to another homestead, where he asked to be locked in one of the family houses. Sources revealed that the occupants of the second homestead allegedly called the mob that was looking for Gumedze and informed them of his whereabouts. The family members allegedly granted the mob permission to break one of the windows and gain entry into the house wherein the now deceased was assaulted.

Grandmother

It was gathered that he was then taken by the mob and made to pass by his homestead and his grandmother saw his hands tied at the back and was assaulted with sticks and kicks. It was gathered that he was assaulted until he could not walk and was unresponsive on the ground. A young man is said to also have been assaulted as he tried to stop the mob from assaulting Gumedze. “He was thrown to a thorny tree and the mob ran away thereafter,” said the source. According to Gogo Thunjwa, grandmother to deceased Gumedze, one congregant told her that her grandson went to the church and was confronted by the pastor as he was seated with his arms folded inside the church. She said she got information that her grandson ran to two different homesteads. She confirmed that the mob passed by her homestead and she saw her grandson with his hands tied at the back as he was assaulted by the mob.

Assault

“I did not go there as one of the men among the mob threatened me and I concluded that they wanted me to follow them so they could assault me as well,” she said. Gogo Thunjwa said she instead called the father of the deceased and informed him of what was happening. It was said that police were called by the father and they took Gumedze to the hospital where he was certified dead upon arrival. As of yesterday, it was gathered that the police had rounded up the people implicated in the incident for questioning, including the pastor. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the death of an 18-year-old boy of Hosea, who was assaulted with sticks and batons all over his body and was certified dead upon arrival at Matsanjeni Health Centre.

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