Man accused of stealing a cellphone dumped in Hartbeespoort Dam, five arrested

Police have arrested five suspects in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 26-year-old Lesego Klaas Makaku at Hartbeespoort Dam, in the North West.

This follows accusations of phone theft at a local tavern on New Year’s Eve.

The suspects, aged between 19 and 40, are scheduled to appear before the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

They face charges of kidnapping and murder.

Victim assaulted, thrown into dam

According to police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Sam Tselanyane, the incident occurred when Makaku visited a tavern in Sangiro informal settlement with his girlfriend on New Year’s Eve.

“It is alleged that on Tuesday, 31 December 2024, the deceased was visiting his girlfriend when they both went to a nearby tavern for some drinks. While there, Makaku was accused of stealing a cellular phone,” Tselanyane said in a statement.

The situation reportedly quickly turned violent when Makaku was forcefully dragged outside the tavern and severely beaten by a group of people.

The assailants then took him to a nearby dam, where he was thrown in.

Only his t-shirt was recovered near the dam, which his girlfriend found and gave to his mother, who subsequently filed a missing person’s report with the police.

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Hartbeespoort Dam murder investigation breakthrough

Despite the initial search by police divers yielding no results, a breakthrough came approximately two days later on 2 January, when investigators questioned two persons of interest.

During interrogation, one suspect led police to Makaku’s partially clothed body in the early stages of decomposition.

Three more arrests followed as police raided nearby shacks. One suspect remains at large.

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Police commissioner condemns acts of brazen violence

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Patrick Asaneng, issued a strong condemnation of the incident and called for greater responsibility from tavern owners and patrons.

“It is totally unacceptable and intolerable that these places are instead turning into crime hotspots and crime generators where disregard for the rule of law is the norm,” said Asaneng.

He expressed particular concern about the prevalence of serious crimes occurring in licensed establishments, often in full view of owners and other patrons.

“Many incidents of murder, robberies, assaults, rapes, drunken driving are committed by patrons of some of these unfortunately licensed outlets and worryingly some are committed in full view and in the presence of owners of these establishments and in full view of other patrons, who not only fail to prevent, stop or report these serious crimes to the police.”

Asaneng concluded with a call to action, urging community policing forums and religious and community leaders to “rise up and put a stop to this blatant, endemic criminality in the communities”.

“All suspects, aged between 19 and 40, are expected to appear before the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 06 January 2025 on charges of kidnapping and murder.”

The investigation continues as authorities work to apprehend the remaining suspect.

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