By Kopano Dibakwane
The Provincial Police Commissioner in Mpumalanga, Lt.General Semakaleng Manamela, has condemned the brutal killing of a 15 year-old girl whose lifeless body was found near a dilapidated building in Balfour on Friday 15 December, subsequently leading to the rapid arrest of two suspects aged between 18 and 19 years old.
According provincial police spokesperson,Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, the deceased’s half-naked body was found at Goede Section around 9h00am with a silver plastic around her private parts and was certified dead on the scene by paramedics on arrival.
” Police opened a murder case and immediately activated all possible resources. It was not long before the hard work of the members paid off as the first suspect(19) was arrested on Saturday 16 December around 10h00am. The second suspect was arrested on the same Saturday at around 14h00.
” As the probe continues, it cannot be ruled out she(the victim) might have possibly been raped, however an autopsy will be conducted as part of the investigation,” said Mohlala.
Lt.General Manamela has applauded the police for swiftly arresting the two suspects.
” This is a very shameful incident seeing that we just had 16 days of activism for no violence against women and children. We were looking forward to have zero of such incidents. We hope that the law will take its course and justice be served for the innocent and murdered girl,” said Let.General Manamela.
The suspects will reportedly appear before the Balfour Magistrate’s Court on Monday 18 December, facing a charge of murder.
