POTCHEFSTROOM – A 19-year-old suspect is expected to appear in the Mmabatho Magistrates’ Court tomorrow on a charge of murder.
The suspect who evaded the arrest, was handed over to the police yesterday in the afternoon by his brother following an incident in which an 18-year-old woman was allegedly stabbed several times and ultimately doused with petrol. The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday, 01 December 2019, at Ramosadi village, outside Mahikeng.
According to information available at this stage, reports suggest that the woman was on her way home when the suspect approached her. She was heard screaming a few minutes later. Although she was subsequently found bleeding, she managed to inform the members of the community who the suspect was. The woman suffered third degree burns.
In another unrelated incident, a 36-year-old suspect is also expected to appear in the Mmabatho Magistrates’ Court for murder. This after the suspect was arrested yesterday in the evening for fatally stabbing a 34-year-old woman on Saturday, 30 November 2019 at approximately 02:30 in Montshiwa Location, Mmabatho.
It is alleged that the suspect went to Dibate village to look for his girlfriend whom he could not find. He allegedly pelted a house with stones and broke windowpanes. The suspect ran away after a 13-year-old boy woke up to investigate. The boy’s mother who is the sister to the suspect’s girlfriend, also woke up and they went to Montshiwa to seek assistance. At that point, they were in the company of the victim’ seven-year-old boy.
They were allegedly on their way back home when they met the suspect who stabbed the victim and ran away.
Consequently, the incident was reported to the police who were on patrol by the victim’s 13-year-old son who ran from the scene to seek assistance. The victim was certified dead on the scene.
The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane condemned both incidents in the strongest possible terms. She also thanked the family for handing over the alleged perpetrator to the police to face the full might of the law. She said further that the police working together with communities will not hesitate to turn the tide against those who commit Gender Based Violence.
Source: South African Police Service