By Malibongwe Dayimani.
A third-year University of Fort Hare student has been stabbed to death in what a source alleged was a case of mob justice over a missing laptop.
The 21-year-old succumbed to his injuries after he was punched, choked, slapped, and stabbed during what students described on campus social networking groups as a physical interrogation.
The police confirmed they arrested five students for the murder of the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture student.
He hailed from Hopefield Location in Alice which is home to the university.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said: “SAPS can confirm the arrest of five suspects [students] for their alleged involvement in the murder of a fellow student, which occurred at the institution.”
The five suspects, aged between 22 and 25, are due to appear in the Alice Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
While the circumstances surrounding the incident would form part of the investigation, Nkohli said, students discussing the incident on the university’s social media platforms alleged the incident was sparked by a missing computer.
It is believed a scuffle between the victim and suspects broke out at about 03:00 on Sunday near one of the Alice campus’s student accommodation blocks.
University spokesperson JP Roodt said the incident played out around 03:00.
“From the initial investigation report, witnesses indicate an altercation began at the Disco nightclub in Alice and then moved onto campus.
“A full university investigation is underway, and the institution also opened a case at the Alice police station yesterday afternoon,” Roodt added.
While police and the university would not be drawn into discussing the merits of the incident, an impeccable source close to the investigation, who cannot be identified, confirmed it was sparked by the missing laptop.
The source said: Remember, it is all allegations at this stage. Students who apparently witnessed the incident gave statements to the investigators in which it was alleged the incident was triggered by a missing laptop and then the victim was tortured and killed.
One student alleged on the university’s Facebook page security guards watched and did nothing as the victim burst through the campus’s main gate with the suspects hot on his heels.
The university confirmed reports the group allegedly chased the suspect for more than a kilometre from an off-campus nightclub.
Students slated security guards on the group for not following up on the incident.
Roodt promised to investigate the allegations made against the security guards and respond at a later stage.
His comment will be added once received.
On Sunday, Roodt said: “A university delegation is en route to inform the student’s next of kin of his death, and pyscho-social support has been activated to support student and staff.
“More information will be shared as more details become available over the next few days.”
SRC president Siphokazi Mbalo said: “We [the SRC] are still waiting for the meeting with campus control tomorrow morning [Monday] so that we can have the full facts of what transpired because now events are still sketchy, and dots are not connecting.
“We still have lot of questions so it’s very hard for us to comment yet.”