Johannesburg - A 17-year-old boy was expected to appear in court on Monday morning after being charged with the murder of the sister of Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, Mapula.
The teenager was arrested on Friday, a day after the charred body of the 27-year-old woman was found to top of a bed in her backroom in Tshing Extension 2, outside Ventersdorp.
He was to appear at the Ventersdorp Children’s Court as prescribed by the Child Justice Act (Act 75 of 2008)..
After the discovery of Mapula’s charred body, police opened an inquest case but the charge was later changed to murder followin the arrest of the teenager.
Spokesperson for the North West Police Lieutenant-Colonel Adéle Myburghs said the teenager was arrested on Friday in Ventersdorp and charged with murder.
Asked how the teenager is related to the victim, Myburg said: “I cannot at this stage reveal more information that can identify him at this stage.”
Myburg also revealed that prior to the teenager’s arrest, residents assaulted some people after accusing them of being behind Khune’s murder.
“Since Friday, additional cases of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm have been reported as community street patrollers and family members have allegedly been assaulting alleged perpetrators for the murder of Khune.
“There are two victims who opened cases. There are others but they did not open cases,” she said.
Myburgh said neighbours saw smoke coming from the house around 5am on Thursday then called for help.
Firefighters arrived at the back-room and found the body of Mapule on the bed.
“She was in the back-room on top of the bed and only the back-room caught fire.”
Myburgh also confirmed that the body was burnt, but did not elaborate the extent to which it was burnt.
She also confirmed that while there were people in the main house, it was the neighbours who saw the fire and called for help.
IOL