HUMAN SKELETON FOUND IN THE BUSHES – SUSPECT ARRESTED
Nelspruit: A human skeleton was discovered in the bushes at Nkanini Trust near Masoyi outside White River. The gruesome discovery was made on Sunday, 14 August 2022 around 10h00 am.
According to the report, children from an initiation school were in the bushes looking for some wooden sticks and then trembled upon the skeleton. Police were then alerted and upon their arrival, all other role-players were summoned to the scene. The forensic unit of the police later confirmed the skeleton as that of a human being. The members also found some clothes believed to be of the victim during the discovery. An inquest case was opened but later changed to murder after some groundwork was done by the Detective team.
Police connected their dots and discovered there was a little girl who went missing in December 2021 and was reported as such by her family at the beginning of January 2022. A preliminary investigation by the team of experts in the investigation field revealed that the skeleton could be that of the 15-year-old girl who vanished without a trace. The family believes it is her as they identified the dress that was found at the scene.
Whilst investigating the case, a woman stormed into the police station at Masoyi on 15 August 2022 claiming that some members of the community wanted to kill her after being accused of shielding the suspect. Police managed to calm the situation while requesting members of the public to leave everything in the hands of the police.
The team received crucial information in their probe from a member of the Community Policing Forum (CPF), Community in Blue to be specific regarding the whereabouts of the suspect. The details were followed which culminated in his arrest at Malelane, of course with the great help offered by the police from Malelane SAPS. It is further believed that the suspect could have been trying to flee from the authorities when he was cornered.
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The 24-year-old male suspect has since been charged with murder as well as defeating the ends of justice. He is due to appear at the Masoyi Periodical Court on Wednesday, 17 August 2022 facing the said charges. Police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against the suspect as the investigation proceeds.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has hailed the breakthrough made by the members of the police however the General has vehemently condemned the acts of violence against defenceless women.
“It is a shameful thing that a similar incident of this nature occurred in the same policing area of Masoyi where the little girl, Buntle Mashiyane was brutally murdered recently. We never expected that such an atrocity can be experienced by this community in a short space of time. This is a moral issue and we urge Faith-Based Organisations as well as Traditional Leaders to join hands with us to fight the scourge” said the General.
Police urge anyone with any information on Crime to call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111. Alternatively, members of the public can send information via MYSAPSAPP. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous
