Suspended Thohoyandou constable tries to set wife and daughter on fire
The constable, attached to the Thohoyandou police station, had been out on bail for assaulting his wife a month before the attack.
POLOKWANE – A 35-year-old suspended police constable attached to the Thohoyandou police was arrested for attempted murder on March 5 after he is said to have doused his wife (30) and daughter with petrol before attempting to set them alight at his residence in Thohoyandou P-West, in the early hours of the same day.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said the man, who is currently separated from his wife, is said to have gone to her house and knocked on a window of the room she and their daughter had been sleeping in.
“He apparently told her he was there to give her their child’s mageu. She took it through the window, but he later returned and gained entry through the same window.”
The suspect apparently doused the two women with petrol, but one of them managed to grab the lighter before running off to the police station, Mojapelo confirmed.
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He added that when the police arrived at the house with the woman accompanying them, the man was arrested.
“The constable had been out on bail after he was arrested last month for assaulting his wife and he was on suspension from the police.”
Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe condemned the incident. “The police will not tolerate its own members who place the lives of woman and children at risk. The incident by one of our own is not just an embarrassment, but also jeopardises our efforts aimed at reducing incidents on gender-based violence, both internally and externally. Our investigation officer will ensure that he forfeits his bail due to the latest incident,” said Hadebe.
The suspect was said to appear in Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on March 6, facing charges of attempted murder and housebreaking.
