Limpopo police arrest mob attack survivor for kidnapping, murder and rape

Polokwane - A man who was recently discharged from hospital after treatment for injuries sustained in a mob attack by the local community in the Groblersdal area following the attempted murder, kidnapping, and rape of a seven-year-old girl, has been arrested in connection with cases of murder, attempted murder, two kidnappings, and two rapes, Limpopo police said on Sunday.

The South African Police Service's (SAPS) Groblersdal policing cluster family violence, child protection, and sexual offences (FCS) unit arrested the 34-year-old man this past week and he briefly appeared in the Groblersdal Magistrates' Court on Thursday. The case was postponed to Monday for a "further bail application and police investigations", Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said.

"The suspect has been on the run after the commission of [these] incidents which he allegedly committed in the Marble Hall policing area during 2018."

It was alleged that on Friday, December 7, 2018, in the morning, the body of a two-year-old boy was found in "bushes near Koteng village in the Marble Hall policing area with head injuries after he was allegedly reported missing the previous day", Ngoepe said.

"The suspect was later identified, but he disappeared after realising that the police were tracing him. The deceased was identified as Samson Sithole from Seraheng village." 

The suspect was arrested on Thursday "after being discharged from the hospital due to the injuries sustained from a mob attack by the local community following an alleged attempted murder, kidnapping, and a rape of a seven-year-old girl, which took place between 30 September and 1 October 2019 in the Nebo policing area outside Groblersdal". 

The suspect would also appear in the Nebo Magistrates' Court on October 17 on charges of kidnapping, rape, and attempted murder. 

"At this stage, the suspect is linked to cases of murder, attempted murder, kidnappings, and rapes, but he might be linked to more other cases, as the profiling is still under way. The police investigations are still continuing," Ngoepe said.

African News Agency (ANA)