Vigilante cop, mob attack lead to alleged murder
Larona Makhaiza | Thursday January 29, 2026 13:30
Last Wednesday, Ramotswa Police Station commander James Moikotlhai revealed that a fight erupted between opposing groups of four and two men, which led to the demise of one in the quartet, whilst another from the duo is hospitalised and critically injured.
Investigations into the matter have since established that the altercation was not random, as the officer (name withheld) is yet to be charged. The officer based at Old Naledi allegedly orchestrated the mob attack.
According to Investigating Officer (IO) Tiboni Lucas at Extension II Magistrate Court, the fatal confrontation stems from an earlier incident on January 14, when the two men were suspected of breaking into the house of the officer.
“Investigations have revealed that this was not just a fight between two groups. There is a female police officer involved. She is based at Old Naledi but owns a house at Ramotswa, which was broken into,” Lucas said.
Lucas said rather than reporting the matter and allowing formal investigations to take place, the officer mobilised four men to search for thieves who broke into her house.
“The female officer then took out her Honda Fit car, gave it to her brother and one guy to search for suspects. The two men then mobilised two more men to track down the suspects and confront them,” Lucas said.
The IO revealed that it was not a four versus two confrontation, but four versus three, despite the initial revelation by the station commander. Upon tracking the suspects, the IO stated that some were tied and viciously beaten to a pulp.
“The three men were found and tied up. They were beaten up by these four men at the same yard [of the officer]. The four men physically attacked them with softball bats over and over again, demanding stolen goods,” he said.
It was during this alleged beating that the situation spiralled out of control, the IO revealed.
“One of the suspects took out a knife and fatally stabbed one of the four men, whilst one survived with critical injuries. He then fled the scene, but we arrested him, and he is here before the court,” he said.
The deceased has been identified as Ofentse Ntswe, an accused robber who was out on bail, whilst the murder accused is a minor.
Extension II Chief Magistrate Kamogelo Mmesi did not officially charge the minor, as he was without legal representation or a social worker, and his guardians were absent.
As he was not formally charged, Mmesi did not remand the minor, and he is set to appear before the court on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the officer and three of the surviving men are yet to appear before the court and possibly face charges.