The Musina Magistrate’s Court has released 15 of the 19 suspects arrested for the alleged murders of four men at Mutele B village outside Musina in Limpopo.
Four men, including a traditional healer and his son, were allegedly set alight and killed by a mob of community members on Monday. They were accused of having knowledge of the disappearance of 25-year-old Gumani Makhesha who was reported missing last week.
The situation remains tense in Mutale B and the surrounding villages.
Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo says only four suspects were positively linked to the brutal murder.
“From the initial number that was arrested, 19 suspects, we have released many of them. We are left with only four. Those four are the ones that we can link directly with the offenses that have been committed and the case has been postponed to the 11 February for a formal bail application.”
Mojapelo says police are continuing to patrol the area and he has urged the community not to take the law into their own hands.
Community members also searched around the nearby Tshivaloni Dam where it was earlier reported that Makhesha was dumped.
“We will definitely maintain our presence. What we can say is that community members must always assist the police because we are also conducting searches. Nobody will be allowed to take the law into his or her own hands. Let’s conduct the searches and assist one another until the person who has been reported missing is found.”
The murdered traditional healer and his son were chased away by the community of Tshitavha some three years ago. They were accused then of digging up graves and stealing body parts.
