Home | News | MENTALLY CHALLENGED MAN BEATEN TO DEATH

MENTALLY CHALLENGED MAN BEATEN TO DEATH

21/07/2014 08:57:00 BY KHULEKANI NENE

Font size:

SITEKI – A mentally challenged man who reportedly escaped from the National Psychiatric Hospital sometime last week was on Saturday afternoon brutally beaten to death by four men at Sikhuphe near Malindza.

The murder reportedly occurred at around 4pm in full view of members of the public, who are said to have watched helplessly as the men severely assaulted the deceased until he became unconscious.

The name of the deceased is known to this publication but has deliberately been concealed since his family had not been contacted at the time of compiling this report.
The assailants are believed to be members of the Malindza community police but it could not be ascertained if they were acting on orders from their superiors or in their personal capacity.

A source informed this publication that the deceased was walking alone when the four men, who were armed with sticks, confronted him.
“He tried to flee but the men overpowered him and continued assaulting him until he became unconscious.

“Onlookers reportedly called Mpaka police who arrived promptly and rushed him to Good Shepherd Hospital in Siteki, where he died hours later while undergoing treatment,” a source explained. Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) Superintendent Wendy Hleta confirmed the incident in a press released yesterday.

“Siteki Police are investigating a murder case where on Saturday at 4pm, a 27 year old man of Sikhuphe was assaulted to death with sticks by four known men, who attacked him after a short argument while at Sikhuphe area,” she said.

Meanwhile, self-proclaimed community police spokesperson Seven Days Tsabedze said he was not aware of the matter, hence he could not state if the suspects are members of the area’s community police or not.
Tsabedze, who is always abreast with all matters happening in the area, said he had been away for the past two days attending a funeral at Lobamba.

The area’s Member of Parliament Musa ‘Stezi Dlamini said: “I am not aware of the matter you are talking about. However, if it is true, I would like to state that it should be condemned in every possible way. No one has the authority to take the law into his or her hands.”