Dan Mdluli
LIMPOPO – Eight people who were arrested last Wednesday for setting a house alight in an RDP settlement near Leeuwfontein in Sekhukhune after the recent mysterious death of a local boy (4), have been released due to lack of evidence.
The suspects appeared before the Groblersdal Magistrate Court after there was not enough evidence that linked them to the case.
A group of residents in the area torched a house belonging to a 62-year-old couple, who they accuse of being responsible for the death of the four-year-old boy that died last Monday.
The body of Itumeleng Phokane was found inside an underground tank used to store water at his home after he went missing the previous Sunday.
After little Itumeleng’s burial on Saturday morning, a group of people who accused the owners of the property of his alleged murder, gathered outside the house at the settlement and set a part of it alight around 20:00.
Itumeleng’s family say his death remains a mystery
Olga Phokane (23), aunt to Itumeleng’s mother, Mathlatse Phokane (22), said it remained mysterious to the family how the boy ended up in the tank. She added they also searched for him there and in the pit toilet after he went missing but without success.
“Some of the family even fetched water from the tank that morning and they also didn’t see anything. It remains a mystery for us how and when Itumeleng got in there,” said Olga.
Agnes Phaahla, Mahlatse’s eldest aunt, said it was later that Monday morning when police continued with the search for the little boy that she discovered his body in the tank. “I could not believe what I saw. I first saw a hand inside the water and when we looked closer we saw his body. The family will never heal until we know exactly what happened to him,” stressed Phaahla.
“We know he did not die because he fell into the tank. It became clear to us after we searched for him on Sunday and Monday that someone was behind his death. Someone must have kidnapped and killed him and then thrown his body inside the tank,” alleged a resident who did not want his name published.
Const Lethunya Mmuroa of the Marble Hall Police Station confirmed that eight suspects aged between 28 and 45 years were arrested in connection with a case of arson last Wednesday.
Police investigations on the matter are ongoing. The suspects are expected to appear before the Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of arson.
CV found no one at the house which was torched when visiting.
Residents had barricaded the main access road into the RDP settlement with stones in protest against the arrest of the eight suspects nabbed in connection with the arson.
