Bokgabo Poo: ‘Her eyes were not there,’ says mom

The mother of four-year old Bokgabo Poo, whose mutilated body was discovered on Saturday, said yesterday she was still able to identify her.

“I saw her with the T-shirt she was wearing, her nose, her mouth, her little pretty fingers, her eye sockets, even though the eyes were not there, the hair, I could just tell that is my daughter,” said mother Tsholofelo Poo.

She said she would like to see the death penalty come back just for her daughter’s murderer.

Poo said if that does not happen, she wishes the case could be thrown out of court so that the community can get their hands on the suspect.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement yesterday named the suspect as Ntokozo Khulekani Zikhali, 28, from Brakpan, Ekurhuleni, who was out on bail for allegedly raping a nine-year-old girl.

Court proceedings

There was pandemonium in the Benoni Magistrate’s Court when Bokgabo’s father, Irvin Ndlovu, attacked Zikhali while he was sitting in the dock Ndlovu was screaming “this bastard killed my daughter” while residents in the gallery screamed “Bring the Satan here”.

Zikhali tried to jump to the prosecutors and police to save himself from the community who wanted to assault him.

The magistrate also had to take cover. “You killed my daughter, you killed my daughter!” Ndlovu shouted as he was held back by officers in the court.

The discovery of Bokgabo’s mutilated body in Wattville came days after six women were found dead in Selby, Johannesburg.

Poo said a day before her daughter’s body was found, she used the same street where her child’s leg was discovered.

“It was the first time I used the street, not knowing that the following day my daughter would be found in the same street.

“I cannot even pinpoint which house she was found because it is an area am not used to going to,” she said.

Bokgabo’s aunt Kelebogile Mokgako said her blood was boiling and she wanted to retaliate after she saw the alleged killer in court.

Mokgako said she agreed with community members who believed Zikhali should be killed for what he did. “The guy has a pending rape case, what is the point of giving him a life sentence?

“I would like for him to feel the same pain as a family and if it was up to me, the death sentence should be brought back.

He butchered a four-year-old, he is suspected to have raped her before killing her,” she said.

How the little body was discovered

Leah Khoza, who discovered baby Bokgabo’s leg in her yard, said she was sweeping her yard when she noticed something that looked like a glove.

Khoza said when went she went closer, she noticed it was a human leg.

“It was just covered in sand, the person did not bury the leg, I screamed for help from the community because I was shocked and did not believe it was a leg.

The community also confirmed it was a leg. We then called the police.” Khoza said she had never met Zikhali and has been wondering why he would drop Bokgabo’s leg in her yard.

“The problem is, nyaope boys use my [yard] as a passage to go to the next street and I’m not safe,” said Khoza. She said since the discovery of the leg, she had been struggling to sleep.

“I feel like she is looking at me when I sleep.”

NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said on 10 October, Bokgabo had gone to play with a five year-old boy at a park in Wattville when they were approached by Zikhali. She said Zikhali gave the little boy money to go buy lollipops and lured Bokgabo to an unknown location.

Investigation

“Later that day, the parents of the deceased reported the child missing to the police,” said Mahanjana. “The next day in the morning, while a woman from the neighbourhood was sweeping her yard, she came across a human leg, she alerted a neighbour, and they contacted the police.

“As part of the investigation, CCTV footage from a nearby tavern was discovered, which showed the deceased walking with Zikhali, on the day of her disappearance.”

He’ll return to court next week for a bail application after profiling.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Chaos erupts as father of murdered Bokgabo Poo jumps dock to attack suspect

– lungam@citizen.co.za