Eastern Cape police have arrested six men who are believed to have assaulted two youngsters and later threw them off a cliff in Butterworth.
Police believe the assault happened in East London’s Reeston township on March 14, and the victims were loaded in two vehicles the next day, taken to Manqulo village and pushed over a cliff.
Yesterday search and rescue police officers from Mthatha, East London and Cradock retrieved the two bodies at about 4.30pm.
It is believed one of the victims may still have been alive when he was thrown over the 100m cliff.
East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala confirmed the arrests yesterday.
“We can confirm that six suspects have been arrested and are charged with kidnapping, murder and defeating the ends of justice.
“Two vehicles, a Toyota Avanza and Toyota Tazz believed to have been used by the suspects have been taken by police,” she said.
Mqala said the victims were accused of breaking into people’s homes in Reeston but it was not clear how many houses they had broken into or why they were killed instead of handed over to police.
“This case was reported at Scenery Park police station this month as the two victims could not be found. Police detectives worked around the clock and later arrested the suspects in Reeston’s Chicken Farm area,” said Mqala.
Police say the suspects later led them to the bodies.
Yesterday more than 50 locals crowded the crime scene as they wanted to see what was happening in their quiet village. Village subheadman Hlangalethu Mki said they were shocked to learn about the dumped bodies.
“Every villager has the right to be shocked after we’ve seen what these thugs have done. This village is not a dumping place,” said Mki.
A villager, Vuyisile Mazala, said: “No one will just come all the way from East London and dump a person in this village they know this village very well.
“We won’t be surprised if one of the suspects is from this village.”
Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha said villagers, through community policing forums, were always urged to ensure that visitors were registered with traditional leaders.
“It’s traditional in every village that visitors are registered, including their vehicles. Even if a police officer comes to investigate, they alert the community leader so that they can get help,” said Manatha.
As the Dispatch team was leaving the scene, forensic staff members were being taken by the police helicopter to view the scene before being sent down by rope.
The six suspects are expected to appear in the East London Magistrate’s Court later in the week, charged with double murder and kidnapping.
Six held over double murder: Reeston youths’ bodies 100m down mountain
Police believe the assault happened in East London’s Reeston township on March 14, and the victims were loaded in two vehicles the next day, taken to Manqulo village and pushed over a cliff.
Yesterday search and rescue police officers from Mthatha, East London and Cradock retrieved the two bodies at about 4.30pm.
It is believed one of the victims may still have been alive when he was thrown over the 100m cliff.
East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala confirmed the arrests yesterday.
“We can confirm that six suspects have been arrested and are charged with kidnapping, murder and defeating the ends of justice.
“Two vehicles, a Toyota Avanza and Toyota Tazz believed to have been used by the suspects have been taken by police,” she said.
Mqala said the victims were accused of breaking into people’s homes in Reeston but it was not clear how many houses they had broken into or why they were killed instead of handed over to police.
“This case was reported at Scenery Park police station this month as the two victims could not be found. Police detectives worked around the clock and later arrested the suspects in Reeston’s Chicken Farm area,” said Mqala.
Police say the suspects later led them to the bodies.
Yesterday more than 50 locals crowded the crime scene as they wanted to see what was happening in their quiet village. Village subheadman Hlangalethu Mki said they were shocked to learn about the dumped bodies.
“Every villager has the right to be shocked after we’ve seen what these thugs have done. This village is not a dumping place,” said Mki.
A villager, Vuyisile Mazala, said: “No one will just come all the way from East London and dump a person in this village they know this village very well.
“We won’t be surprised if one of the suspects is from this village.”
Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha said villagers, through community policing forums, were always urged to ensure that visitors were registered with traditional leaders.
“It’s traditional in every village that visitors are registered, including their vehicles. Even if a police officer comes to investigate, they alert the community leader so that they can get help,” said Manatha.
As the Dispatch team was leaving the scene, forensic staff members were being taken by the police helicopter to view the scene before being sent down by rope.
The six suspects are expected to appear in the East London Magistrate’s Court later in the week, charged with double murder and kidnapping.
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