Pretoria – A 32-year-old man was on Friday scheduled to appear before the Vuwani Magistrate’s Court facing a charge of murder after he was arrested for allegedly killing an 80-year-old wheelchair bound pensioner at Mutsha Thondoni village in Limpopo’s Vhembe District.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the gruesome murder happened on Wednesday at about midday, as the 32-year-old man accused the old man, who was his mother’s employer, of practising witchcraft.
“The suspect, whose mother is reportedly a helper for the old man, arrived at the house and allegedly started hurling insults and accusing the old man of witchcraft. He quickly went to the room in which the victim was apparently taking a nap and broke the windows as well as the burglar door and entered the room,” Mojapelo said.
Police said the 32-year-old allegedly took the lid of an iron pot and started hitting the octogenarian, thereby causing fatal injuries.
“The police were called and on arrival, they found the victim lying motionless on the bed. The paramedics were also called and the victim was certified dead at the scene. He was identified as Mugivhi Winston Mashamba,” Mojapelo said.
“The motive for this brutal murder will be determined by the unfolding police investigations.”
Last month, an elderly woman, 85, was murdered in her house at Kuranta village under Mokwakwaila policing area.
Police found the woman’s lifeless body with multiple serious wounds.
Police said it appeared the assailant used a sharp object to kill the victim.
Emergency services were called to the house and the elderly woman was certified dead at the scene. Police have identified the woman as 85-year-old Maidi Puledi Malefofane.
IOL