Their apprehension stems from an incident wherein the deceased was accused of stealing a cellular phone at a tavern in Sangiro informal settlement, just outside Hartbeespoortdam. It is alleged that on Tuesday, 31 December 2024, the deceased was visiting his girlfriend when they both went to a nearby tavern for some drinks. While there, Makaku was accused of stealing a cellular phone. Furthermore, it is alleged that he was forcefully dragged outside the tavern to the street, where he was severely beaten by a group of people. Information received was that Makaku was also dragged to the nearby dam and thrown inside. Only his t-shirt was found near the dam and allegedly taken by his girlfriend, who informed the deceased mother. As a result, the mother reported the incident to the police and a missing person’s report was registered.
The police then conduct preliminary investigations to search for the missing person and police divers searched the area at the dam and the body could not be found. Enquiries were also conducted around the area about the last people seen with the missing person and subsequently, on Thursday, 02 January 2025 two people of interest were taken in for questioning, during the interrogation, one of the suspects took the team of investigators to bushes near Sangiro informal settlement wherein the half-naked body of the victim was found in the early stages of decomposition. Following the discovery of the body, police went to shacks of three more suspects and they were also apprehended, one suspect is still at large.
All suspects, aged between 19 and 40, are expected to appear before the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 06 January 2025 on charges of kidnapping and murder. Investigation into the matter continues.
Meanwhile, the Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Patrick Asaneng condemned this barbaric act and urged owners of taverns and licensed liquor premises as well as their patrons to help the police prevent crime and criminality in these public places, which are meant to promote responsible drinking in a safe, secure environment by the government. “It is totally unacceptable and intolerable that these places are instead turning into crime hotspots and crime generators where disregard for the rule of law is the norm. Many incidents of murder, robberies, assaults, rapes, drunken driving are committed by patrons of some of these unfortunately licensed outlets and worryingly some are committed in full view and in the presence of owners of these establishments and in full view of other patrons, who not only fail to prevent, stop or report these serious crimes to the police. Community Policing Forums, Religious and Community Leaders are called to rise up and put a stop to this blatant, endemic criminality in the communities,” said Major General Asaneng.