Grocery shop burnt down

MASERU – A GROCERY shop has been reduced to ashes following an attack by a group of villagers who accused the owner of sponsoring gangsters to attack rival businesses and owners.
A crowd of angry Motse-Mocha villagers on the outskirts of Mafeteng town, attacked the grocery shop owned by a 28-year-old Pakistani, Pool Khan, last Friday.
Mafeteng district police commander, Senior Superintendent Moqhebi Likhama, told thepost this week that the business was torched in broad daylight.
“All the stock in the shop (was) burnt to ashes,” Senior Superintendent Likhama said.

Some villagers watched as the fire engulfed the shop and the items inside. Witnesses said no one tried to help put out the fire.
Senior Superintendent Likhama described the actions by the villagers as “wrong”, adding that they should let the law take its course rather resort to mob justice.
Khan was already before the courts to answer accusations raised by the villagers when one of his shops was attacked.
Police are now after the villagers who were behind the arson attack, said Senior Superintendent Likhama.
“We will not tolerate such behaviour,” said Senior Superintendent Likhama.

He said the business was set alight while Khan was appearing in court on accusations of inciting violence.
Khan was remanded in custody pending further investigations.
Senior Superintendent Likhama said preliminary investigations revealed that Khan works with a team of young men to attack his competitors in areas where he runs his shops.
“We have already arrested one suspect he works with while others are still at large,” he said.
“We have already opened a case.”

The suspect will appear in court when investigations are complete, he said.
Khan runs other supermarkets in the villages of Matšaneng, Matholeng, Ha-Seitlheko and Thabaneng, often competing with local businesspeople.
One of his shops in Matšaneng was only saved from being set on fire by an angry mob after police quickly intervened, said Senior Superintendent Likhama.
The attacks on Khan’s shops happened shortly after the mob pelted Khan with stones outside the magistrate’s court, complaining that he was not chained like other suspects.
Khan left the court under heavy police guard as the mob bayed for his blood on Friday.

Local businesspeople have been complaining of attacks on their shops by unidentified people suspected of being sponsored by Khan.
Some have been forced to shut their businesses because of the continued attacks while others lost their lives during the attacks.

A fortnight ago, unknown gun-toting men in the same area attacked a business and shot dead a customer while the owner of the business was also shot.
The businessman was rushed to Mafeteng hospital with gun wounds before being transferred to Queen ’Mamohato Memorial Hospital in Maseru where he died a few days later.
Some money and air time vouchers were stolen.

The criminals, who also looted cash and airtime vouchers, pointed guns at the deceased’s wife and child as they robbed the shop just after sunset.
Mafeteng town clerk, Nthoesana Leferefere, who is also a businessman, escaped unscathed when a gun-wielding man attacked him at his shop recently.
Leferefere said he did not know the reasons behind the attack because nothing was stolen from his small shop while the attacker disappeared into the dark.

Majara Molupe