POLOKWANE – A 17-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a 16-year-old girl in Pharare village in the Tzaneen area on Friday 1 May.
According to reports, police received a complaint about a girl found deceased in the bush and, upon rushing to the scene, they were met by a 17-year-old male who directed them to a nearby bush area where the naked, headless body of the victim was discovered. The teenager was later arrested on suspicion of murder.
The 17-year-old male initially informed police that he was walking with the deceased in Pharare village when they were accosted by occupants of a blue VW Polo. The suspects, consisting of two males and two females, were wearing masks and armed with firearms.
He further indicated that they were forced into the vehicle at gunpoint and driven to a bushy area along the road. In the bushes, he told police, he sustained knife wounds to his arm and abdomen before managing to escape.
After arriving at the scene, a search led to the discovery of the victim’s head buried near the body.
Following the discovery, members of the provincial Murder and Robbery Unit, Mopani Tracking Team and detectives from Maake immediately commenced intensive investigations. This led to the apprehension of the 17-year-old male as a suspect whilst he was admitted at a local hospital on Saturday 2 May.
The suspect was positively linked to the murder, and police also confiscated a weapon believed to have been used in the crime.
A probation officer will conduct an assessment in terms of the Child Justice Act to make a determination for his appearance in court, said Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, police spokesperson.
Police investigations are continuing.
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