EC police arrest 16 for arson, damage to property
Sixteen men, aged between 25 and 30, were arrested on Thursday for arson and malicious damage to property following the burning and damaging of several houses in Lubaleko in Mount Ayliff, Eastern Cape police said.
It is alleged that the disgruntled community members started to burn the headman’s house.
Police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci said police arrived on the scene shortly after 9am and tried to stop the community members but they were pelted with stones and police vehicles were damaged.
“Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd and left the scene immediately after the crowd was dispersed.”
Soci said when police left the scene school children allegedly left their classes at Lubaleko Senior Secondary School in support of the protest by the community members.
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“Police heard gun shots and they were coming from the group of people who were at side of the headman’s house.
“Upon investigation, it was found that one pupil was fatally wounded and another taken to hospital in a critical but stable condition,” Soci said.
The independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) were informed and they went to assess the scene whilst The Public Order Policing Unit are monitoring the scene as the situation remains tense.
Soci said the suspects are expected to appear in the Mount Ayliff Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of arson and malicious damage to property.