Pretoria - A Limpopo man suspected of raping and killing a 6-year-old girl has opted to abandon bail and stay behind bars after threats from the community.
Residents were baying for his blood when he appeared in the Praktiseer Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Levy Nongoma, 28, of Dark City in Burgersfort in Sekhukhune was arrested on Friday while hiding at a neighbour’s house after Boithakgatso Komana’s body was found, said Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
National Prosecution Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, confirmed that Nongoma would remain in custody until February 1 while police investigated further.
She said: “Nongoma appeared in court on Monday and abandoned his bail application. He will remain in custody while the case was postponed to February 1, 2022, for further investigations.”
Mojapelo said: “It is alleged that the child was playing with other children in the neighbourhood when her mother noticed that she had disappeared and started to search for her with assistance of the community.
“The police were called and proceeded with the search operation. The child’s body was then discovered dumped in a neighbour’s yard.”
Mojapelo said police immediately started looking for the suspect, who lived in the same street as the dead child.
“He was found hiding in one of the neighbour’s yards. He was immediately arrested. Police preliminary investigations conducted at the scene suggest that the victim was raped before she was killed,” Mojapelo said.
The incident caused an uproar, with some community members calling for Nongoma to be set free, so he could face its wrath.
Speaking to the Pretoria News yesterday, Thabo Masemola of Dark City said: “Why are they not letting this man go? He needs to face the community so he can understand exactly what he did.
“She was only a baby and that’s what we want him to understand. They must let him out so he tastes his own medicine.”
The provincial Department of Social Development has provided social workers to give psychosocial support to the Komana family.
MEC Nkakareng Rakgoale said the incident was shocking and disheartening to still see incidents of gender-based violence and femicide continuing in the province.
"Social workers are providing psychosocial support to the family of the victim and other affected parties to ensure that they cope after this horrific incident.
“It is very unfortunate that we still hear of cases of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable people of society, and especially children,” Rakgoale said.
Sekhukhune District Municipality mayor Stanley Ramaila said he was disturbed by the “senseless” killing, and applauded the police for their swift action in arresting the suspect.
“The killing and any form of abuse of our children is a crisis which all of us in society must confront and deal with.
“Even more disturbing is that this gruesome killing happens at a time when we are in the middle of the 16 Days of Activism for no Violence Against Women and Children.
“As President Cyril Ramaphosa has repeatedly said, violence against women (and children) is a men’s problem.
“It is men who rape and kill them.
“Surely, men in particular must take the lead and stop this crisis that has reduced women and children into hunted victims,” Ramaila said.
Pretoria News