Ruthless mob beat man to death ‘as punishment for stealing computer’ in Machinjiri

An angry mob in the wee hours of Tuesday in Blantyre  salvagely beat to death a man suspected to have broken into a shop.

Limbe Police Station Assistant Public Relations Officer (PRO) Widson Nhlane said the incident happened at Chikapa in Machinjiri Township when the suspect who is yet to be identified together with his accomplices who are still at large broke into a shop where they stole assorted items.

“The deceased who is yet to be identified by his relatives is suspected to have broken into an electronic shop at the mentioned place and stole items such as desk top computers and solar panels,” he said.

Nhlane said the community members caught one of them but instead of taking him to the police, they decided to take the law into their own hands which is again a serious offence.

“Currently investigations are underway to arrest those who took the law into their own hands on this incident,” the PRO said, adding that the unidentified dead body is at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital mortuary pending postmortem.

Meanwhile, the Police are advising members of the general public to desist from the malpractice of taking the law into their hands when they apprehend suspects.