An innocent infant of only seven months was one of at least eight people across the Overberg who lost their lives at the hands of cold-blooded criminals over the Easter long weekend.
In a heart-breaking turn of events the baby’s 24-year-old mother was arrested and charged with the murder after the post-mortem indicated the child had died from a blunt-force trauma.
Sergeant Abigail Naidoo, spokesperson for the Overberg Police Cluster, said the mother reportedly took the child to her cousin, who is a sangoma in Westside informal settlement in Villiersdorp, saying the child was sick.
“The cousin allegedly told her he would attend to the child the following morning (Thursday 28 March) as he was busy. It is alleged that the suspect called her cousin about 02:30 the Thursday after she reportedly found the child breathing weakly. When the cousin inspected the child he found that the child was dead.”
An autopsy performed by Worcester Forensic Pathology Services, said Naidoo, indicated blunt-force trauma was believed to be the cause of death.
The mother appeared in Caledon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
In another incident a young father was allegedly stabbed to death by his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend at about 01:50 on Sunday 31 March.
Three suspects, aged 16, 19 and 23, were arrested. Police also seized two sets of blood-stained clothing that will be sent for DNA testing.Blood brothers
Meanwhile, two brothers have appeared in the Swellendam Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday on charges of murder after an unidentified man’s body was found on Friday in Bosbok Street. It is believed he was killed at another location where the police seized two knopkieries and an Okapi knife with blood stains. “A man was later arrested at the scene,” Naidoo said. “He pointed his brother out as his accomplice.”
The Caledon police are investigating the murder of a 22-year-old man whose body was discovered in the street at A-Block in Riemvasmaak informal settlement at 06:45 on Saturday.
In a separate incident a 31-year-old man died Sunday afternoon after being stabbed while walking across an open field in Klein Begin, Bredasdorp.
“The suspect in the case, aged 29, allegedly stabbed the deceased because he had robbed him on previous occasions,” Naidoo reported.
The Grabouw police arrested three suspects over the weekend in connection with three murders at different locations. The first suspect was arrested soon after a 35-year-old man died of a stab wound to the chest at the Grabouw Day Hospital on Friday.
The second murder occurred on Saturday at 04:20 at Applethwaite Farm.
The third murder suspect allegedly stabbed his victim with a broken bottle head in Pineview North on Saturday. He appeared in court on Tuesday.
Naidoo said Grabouw police were very concerned about two incidents in which R5 rifles were reportedly used.
The police confiscated one R5 rifle with one magazine and eight rounds while responding to a shooting in Siyanyanzela informal settlement on Friday. The rifle and ammunition were found in a shack pointed out by a witness.
“The suspect managed to flee. It was established that the firearm had been stolen in the Eastern Cape. It has been sent for ballistic testing to determine whether it had been used in other crimes.”
R5 rifles were reportedly also used during an attack on two security guards in the early hours of Monday morning at Pineview Park sports grounds. Two assailants reportedly started shooting at them.
“The victim reportedly threw stones at the assailants, who then ran away. Eight cartridges and one projectile were found on the scene. Nobody was injured.”
