Avatar photo

By News24 Wire

Wire Service


Man arrested for murder after body of woman found in steel case

It has also surfaced that the suspect committed a house robbery after the murder to get money to flee.


A man who allegedly murdered a 32-year-old woman and stuffed her body into a steel case at KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga was arrested on Friday.

According to police, the woman was last seen by her family members on September 15 at her home in Moloto Block 4. Her body was discovered a day later.

“The following day, on Monday morning, the family became suspicious when she still did not show up as she was supposed to prepare her two daughters for school,” police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi.

“It is alleged that the children had asked the whereabouts of their mother from the boyfriend who was last seen with her and he alleged that she went to the clinic. He then left while the search was being conducted around the area. As the search progressed, information revealed that her younger brother went inside her bedroom after the boyfriend had left and searched everywhere.”

“He reportedly opened a steel case used by her boyfriend as a toolbox where he made a gruesome discovery of her sister’s body stuffed inside the case, half-naked with bruises all over.”

Hlathi said the motive for the killing is still unknown and that a case of murder was opened for investigation. Following on a tip-off, the suspect was found at his homestead in Ga-Masemola in an area called Makhutsho in Limpopo.

It has also surfaced that the suspect committed a house robbery after the murder to get money to flee. The suspect is also facing other cases of murder and rape that he allegedly committed in Limpopo which he still yet to account for.

He is expected to appear before the Kwamhlanga Magistrates’ Court on Monday on charges of murder and house robbery.  He will also be transferred back to Limpopo to answer for the crimes he allegedly committed there.

News24

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.

Read more on these topics

femicide Murder

Access premium news and stories

Access to the top content, vouchers and other member only benefits