North West man arrested in connection with two-year-old’s murder

Mogwase police have arrested a 25-year-old man for the alleged murder of a two-year-old baby girl at Lerome East village near Mogwase outside Rustenburg.

It is understood that the toddler was with her father when the man forcefully gained entry into a shack and demanded to see his girlfriend who used to stay in the same dwelling.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani said the man was told by the baby’s father that he did not know the woman.

“It was at that stage that the man allegedly attacked the baby’s father who was forced to go outside. He came back moments later and found that the door was locked. As a result, he and the neighbours broke the door and found the baby lying on the bed with head injuries.”

Funani said the suspect was allegedly assaulted by members of the community.

“Subsequent to the summoning of police and paramedics, the baby was taken to hospital where she was certified dead on arrival. The suspect who sustained serious injuries was also taken to hospital and is expected to appear in Mogwase Magistrates’ Court soon after being discharged.”

The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, condemned the incident describing it as appalling.

While Kwena welcomed the arrest of the suspect, he also urged the community to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

Meanwhile, a multi-disciplinary team comprising of the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Illicit Mining Team, Orkney Visible Policing, detectives including Mining Rescue Teams rescued ultimately arrested 77 illegal miners between Thursday, 14 April and Monday, 18 April 2022.

The operation followed a request to the mine management by illegal miners to be assisted to get out of the mine shaft as they were starving.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said during the operation which was conducted at Shaft no. 5, in Orkney, four decomposed bodies were brought up by the illegal miners on Friday.

“Of the 77 arrested illegal miners who were all medically examined, 60 are from Lesotho, 13 from Mozambique and four are Zimbabwean nationals. Meanwhile, formal identification process of the four bodies is underway.”

Mokgwabone said the arrested illegal miners are expected to appear before the Orkney Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday facing charges of trespassing, illegal mining and contravention of the Immigration Act.

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