13-year-old boy’s arrest brings Thoriso Themane’s murder suspect count to 10
The boy was arrested on Friday, 8 March, after he was taken to the Polokwane police station by his parents.
POLOKWANE – Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba says he is elated by the sterling efforts manifested by detectives involved in the investigation of the brutal murder of Thoriso Themane, following the arrest of a tenth suspect.
Read more:Â #JusticeForThoriso: three adults arrested, bringing total to nine
A 13-year-old suspect was arrested on Friday, 8 March, after he was taken to the Polokwane police station by his parents.
“His arrest came after intense investigations were gradually closing in on him. The teenager is a scholar at a local agricultural school and is a resident in the vicinity where the crime was committed,” says police spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe.
Read more: [WATCH] ‘My son’s video made the Polokwane police’s job easier, but he has become a target’
A 72-hour activation plan was put into action by police following Themane’s brutal murder on 23 February which resulted in the arrest of five teenagers on Monday, 25 February. The arrests were then followed by the arrest of the sixth suspect, also a teenager the following day.
“One of the teenagers has since been released as she could not be linked to the crime committed and three adults were arrested on Thursday, 28 February, followed by the arrest of another teenager on Friday, 1 March,” explains Ngoepe.
Since the arrests, General Ledwaba has dispelled information circulating on social media suggesting that the son of the retired police officer, who boasted on social media about this brutal incident, has been released from custody.
“I want to put it categorically clear that all the arrested suspects will duly be processed through ongoing court processes and that no one will receive any preferential treatment,” concluded General Ledwaba
The latest arrested suspect will appear in the Polokwane Children’s Court on Monday, 11 March, on a charge of murder.
The three adults will also, separately appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Monday for a formal bail application. The six teenagers will again appear in court on Thursday, 14 March.
