The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has strongly condemned the brutal murder of a 5-year-old girl allegedly by her cousin (27).
The shocking incident is said to have occurred at Bushbuckridge on 25 July 2023.
According to the report, in the afternoon of that fateful day, Police as well as the paramedics in Bushbuckridge received information about the body of a child found in the bushes.
Upon arrival at the scene, they found a lifeless body of the little girl with her throat slit as well as some stab wounds on her upper body.
She was unfortunately certified dead by the medical personnel on the scene and police opened a murder case.
The investigation by the police immediately began. Preliminary investigation indicated that the girl reportedly left home with her cousin (male) to a nearby tuck shop (spaza) to buy some snacks.
However the family was amazed when the cousin returned alone without the little girl. Further allegations by members of the family indicates that he informed them that the baby girl went to play with other children in the neighbourhood.
However the family was concerned and worried that something could have happened on the child and it is said that they began searching for her until they sadly made the gruesome discovery of her body in the nearby bushes. That was the time when they alerted the authorities.
The Police in Bushbuckridge arrested the suspect on the same day and then charged him with murder.
The suspect is expected to appear at the Bushbuckrigde Magistrate’s Court soon and the investigation is still ongoing and it is not yet clear if the girl was raped or not as that will form part of the probe.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela further urged parents and guardians to be vigilant with their children. “It is disheartening and disappointing to learn that some family members are found to be the ones allegedly perpetrating crimes against children whereas they have been entrusted to safeguard them, ” said the General.
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