Man arrested hours after young girl is found strangled

A 24-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday, 10 February for the murder of a 13-year-old girl that occurred in Mdlalose Street in Sekgosese outside Giyani.

The arrest was confirmed by Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe who added that accused was apprehended at his home, shortly after neighbours found the body of the deceased. T

the body of Lerato Ramatsela was found outside Thabanaswana village. The police were summoned and they found the deceased’s body in bushes nearby. “Her hands were tied and it is believed she was strangled to death.”

Police conducted initial investigations at the scene and the accused was arrested at his home, shortly afterwards.

Ngoepe adds that the motive behind the incident is not yet clear at this stage.

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The accused is expected to appear in the Tiyani Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 12 February on a charge of murder. The swift arrest of the accused has been hailed by Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Genl Nneke Ledwaba.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the province the meticulous investigations conducted by various Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) and the Provincial Organised Crime units, led to the conviction and sentencing of three hardened criminals.

In Sekhukhune district, the Burgersfort Regional Court sentenced a 41-year-old to a life imprisonment term for the rape of 75-year-old woman in Mecklenburg on 16 April 2019. The accused, Suprise Solly Ntlwane had requested accommodation from the unsuspecting victim and later threatened and then raped her.

The case was assigned to Det Const Mahlatse Daniel Mangoale from the Burgesfort Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, whose tireless work led to the arrest and subsequent conviction of the accused.

The Vhembe and Capricorn districts saw hefty sentences handed down to a rapist and murderer.

The Musina Regional Court lashed a 41-year-old Tharusenga Thoman Chunga with a life sentence for incidents of murder, attempted murder and robbery. He also got an added six month imprisonment term for Contravention of illegal Immigration Act.

Chunga, who is originally from Zimbabwe, was part of a group that terrorised motorists and communities along the N1 road between Musina and Louis Trichardt since 2015. He was arrested at Mahwelereng following a lengthy investigation by the detectives. The  cases were investigated by Det Sgt Maharinge Sidwel Mashele from the Saps Provincial Organised Crime Unit.

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Lastly, Robert Ramoeketsi Mokgolobotho (39), was sentenced by the Morebeng Regional Court to three life imprisonment terms plus a added 10 years for separate cases of rapes and house breaking with intent to rape for crimes committed in the Botlokwa policing area.

“The accused raped four women, aged between 19 and 20, at gunpoint between 2015 and 2017. His modus operandi was to break into the homes of young women who were staying alone, rape and then rob them off belongings such as cellphones.”

The accused was arrested and positively linked to all these cases after the meticulous investigations conducted by Det Sgt Chuene Selolo from the Polokwane Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit.

This article was republished from Review Online with permission

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