ELUKWATINI – A 16-year-old-boy and a 26-year-old man were arrested for killing a 44-year-old man and dumping the body near a river after an alleged love triangle.
Mr Mafika Bongani Nkosi, and the minor who can’t be named, briefly appeared in the Eerstehoek Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with the murder of Mr Petros Malele.
According to police, on November 23 at about 01:00 Malele gave a lift to the accused and their girlfriends from a local tavern. It is alleged that along the way he told the occupants that his car had run out of petrol and he would not be able to take them any further.
It is further alleged that one of the female occupants then asked to drive the car to substantiate his claim.
All hell broke loose when Malele got off the driver’s seat to give room for her.
Nkosi suspected him of having an affair with the woman in question, who was his girlfriend.
It is alleged that he stabbed Malele with a sharp object while the minor helped by wrestling him to the ground.
He died on the scene.
It is further alleged that the two then loaded his body into the boot and drove around until they ran out of petrol.
They apparently stayed in the car until the following morning, when they got petrol, after which they drove and dumped the body in a shallow grave near a river at Enkhaba Trust.
“The body was discovered by community members who were loading sand at the river at about 11:00 on November 24,” explained Const Solly Mbokane of the Elukwatini police.
“An investigation into the incident and a search for the suspects were launched.
The tasking of informers and enquiries about people who were last seen with Malele led to the arrest of the two suspects,” he said.
The victim’s vehicle was found abandoned in Carolina three days after the murder. The two were remanded in custody and will appear again for bail application on December 10.
Investigations will continue.
