On Friday 21 November, a 17-year-old boy was hacked to death in Lakeview Informal Settlement for allegedly stealing peaches from a yard in the area.
It is alleged that the homeowner saw him picking peaches from his tree then confronted and attacked him with a spade. The teenager succumbed to his injuries on the spot.
A community member, who asked to remain anonymous said the blow left the teenager with fatal head injuries. He said: “The young boy didn’t deserve to die like that. It was just fruits. How can someone beat a child to death over peaches? By the time paramedics arrived, it was too late. He died right there in the street.”
The man who attacked him was arrested and taken to Ennerdale Police Station where he was later released on the same day.
This incident angered the deceased’s family, friends and community members who marched to the station over the weekend demanding justice, they blocked the entrance and shut down operations for several hours.
One of the community members said: “Officers told us the suspect was released. We want justice. That boy’s blood cannot be spilled for nothing.”
Another resident added: “People are angry out there, how can someone kill a kid for picking up peaches! How sickening is that? People should really seek help. Justice must be served!”
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