The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba strongly condemns the brutal murder of an 8-year-old child, Mabareki California Molamudi, whose body was found in the bushes at Xipungu village in the early hours of this morning, Thursday 30 July 2020.
Members of the Tzaneen Tracking Team (TTT) received the information last night at about 22h00 that the suspect went to consult a Traditional Healer at Achornhoek in Mpumalanga and on arrival at about 01h30 this morning, the suspect was indeed found and arrested. Further investigations led the Team to an area next to the local Crèche at Xipungu village in Letsitele policing area outside Tzaneen, where the body was found in the bushes.
The probe that was conducted at the scene suggested that the child might have been raped before she was murdered. This will be determined by forensic investigations that are unfolding.
The child, who was a Grade 1 leaner at Totwana Primary School at Xipungu village, was reportedly left with a caregiver, who is also a family member on Monday, 27 July 2020, when she suddenly went missing. Preliminary investigations conducted by the police revealed that the child was last seen in the company of the suspect, walking to the nearby shop. He later reportedly told some community members that the child was kidnapped by unknown men traveling in a Toyota Quantum
The suspect, aged 34, will be charged with Kidnapping, Rape and Murder. He is expected to appear in Ritavi magistrate court tomorrow, Friday 31 July 2020.
