‘Mathapelo Letsepe
MASERU – A suspected robber was beaten to death by an angry mob in Ha-Mabote on Wednesday morning.
The man was one of three suspected robbers who were trying to rob Prince Auto City, a car hire and sales company on the northern side of Maqalika near Spinning Wheel Bar.
According to the manager, Rahima Matšela, the three men had stormed her office at around 10am and started demanding cash.
Matšela said one of the robbers was pointing a gun at her while the other two were demanding that she gives them money.
She said she was together with three colleagues when the robbers stormed in.
“They closed the curtains and the door and ordered us to lie down,” Matšela said.
Matšela said fearing for their life, they agreed to lie down.
“One of the men was standing near the door and the other was standing near my desk while the other man was busy searching for money.
“When one of them demanded money I told him that we did not keep money in the office.”
Matšela said she was frightened and she gave him her wallet which had only M127 in it.
“He took M120 and left the coins,” she said.
She said in the meantime another colleague who was in another room in the office had managed to get out through the window and called a neighbour for help.
When they heard people coming they told us to go into another room in the building, Matšela said.
“It was then when they left the office,” she said.
She said villagers and staff members chased the trio and caught one of them.
“They brutally beat him and they wanted to burn him.
“I begged them not to burn him,” she said.
She said this man was then taken by the police.
She said the man was beaten with sticks and stones all over his body.
Matšela said two of the men had come to the office earlier on Tuesday.
“They came to ask about our services. They asked me whether they could get their own drivers if they hired a car.
“I never thought they would come the following day with bad intentions,” she said
Police spokesperson, Inspector Pheello Mphana, confirmed the incident.
Mphana said the man was taken to Queen Elizabeth II Hospital where he was later reported dead the same day.
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