17-year-old boy arrested for murder of Itumeleng Khune’s sister

A 17-year-old boy is expected to appear before the Ventersdorp Children’s Court on Monday for the alleged murder of Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune’s younger sister.

North West police spokesperson Colonel Adéle Myburgh on Sunday said the teenager was charged on Friday following the alleged murder of 27-year-old Mapula (Meiki) Khune.

She was burnt alive in a house fire in Ventersdorp in the early hours of Thursday morning.

ALSO READ: Reports into Itumeleng Khune’s sister’s death still pending

Police initially investigated an inquest but after obtaining more information, the inquest was changed to murder.

“It is alleged that on Thursday, 4 March 2021, at about 05:00, neighbours saw smoke coming from a house in Extension 2, Tshing, Ventersdorp. Emergency Services were called, who after forcing entry into a back room, discovered the severely burnt body Khune on top of her bed. Only the back room was damaged during the fire,” Myburgh said in a statement.

Myburgh said since Friday, additional cases of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) have been reported as community street patrollers and family members have allegedly been assaulting alleged perpetrators for the murder of Khune.

North West Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Sello Kwena praised police for the apprehension of the perpetrator within a day after committing the alleged murder.

“He said the police will continue to work hard to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable and condemned the incidents of violence reported. Further, he cautioned members of the community to not take the law into their own hands, but co-operate with the police in order to ensure that justice is served as prescribed by law.”

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