Pretoria – Limpopo police have prevented a man suspected of murdering an 80-year-old woman from crossing into Zimbabwe with a vehicle stolen from the “gruesome” crime scene.
“A 27-year-old suspect arrested for brutally killing an 80-years-old woman, Martha Louisa, whose body was found in her house on Thursday 23 September 2021, will this morning (Tuesday) appear in the Makhado Magistrate’s Court,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
“The suspect was arrested by the police in Musina while trying to cross the Limpopo River at Tshikundo into Zimbabwe.”
Mojapelo said the 27-year-old accused murderer was driving the vehicle.
“The motor vehicle, a Toyota Hilux bakkie, was also recovered,” he said.
Meanwhile, the SAPS at Mahwelereng, outside Mokopane, in Limpopo has launched a manhunt for four awaiting-trial prisoners who escaped from the police cells on Sunday night.
The suspects are Mohammed Nassir, 29, a Bangladesh national arrested for murder that occurred in January; Stanley Chiteya, a 38-year-old Zimbabwean national arrested for business robbery that occurred in November 2020; Dexter Tinashe, a 26-year-old Zimbabwean national arrested for business robbery that took place in November last year; and Joseph Hlongwane, a 37-year-old South African national arrested for house robbery and rape, which happened this month.
Mojapelo said officers on duty were allegedly alerted by other inmates about the escape of the four and a manhunt was “immediately” launched.
He said investigations into the circumstances of the escape have already commenced.
“The suspects were arrested for serious and violent crimes and as a result community members are advised not to attempt to arrest them if they have information about any of their whereabouts but must instead, contact the police,” said Mojapelo.
IOL