Giyani police investigate case of murder, arson and malicious damage to property following tavern shooting
|Published
Picture: SAPS
Johannesburg - The Limpopo police are investigating cases of murder, arson and malicious damage to property that happened at Shivulani village outside Giyani in the early hours of Saturday.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the police were alerted to a shooting incident in Shivulani village at Kapeni Tavern.
“They quickly went to the scene of the crime. Upon their arrival, they found two Spaza shops, one liquor store and three vehicles on fire, and were further shown the lifeless body of a man with multiple gunshot wounds,” Ledwaba said.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the owner of the tavern shot several shots at the victim and killed him before he fled the scene of the crime.”
Ledwaba said some community members then went to the tavern owner’s house searching for him and seemingly did not find him.
“It appears they then torched three vehicles belonging to him and set his two spaza shops and tavern alight. The deceased was identified as Vukosi Obedience Chabalala, aged 26,” Ledwaba said.
The police said they followed possible leads and ultimately succeeded in apprehending a 36-year-old suspect.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Police in Limpopo, Major-General Jan Scheepers, condemned the incidents.
“Those responsible for taking the law into their own hands should be arrested and must face the full might of the law,” said Scheepers.
The police said the arrested suspect would appear before Giyani Magistrate’s Court soon to face charges of arson as well as malicious damage to property.
Anyone who can provide valuable information that can assist the police in apprehending the suspects is requested to contact the nearest police station or forward it on MySAPSApp.
The Star