ZiMoja updates on the latest crime news in parts of the country.
FREE STATE: SAPS has successfully facilitated the extradition of Lehlonoholo Maketoane (40), a suspect in the case of murdered Heilbron magistrate. Maketoane fled the country to the neighbouring Lesotho after the murder of his wife, Mamello Thamae (40), on 19 September 2023. According to SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele, after an intensive investigation and collaboration with the Lesotho Mounted Police Service and the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol), Maketoane was apprehended in Lesotho a week later at a guesthouse. His wife's body was found in the boot of her car, which Maketoane was driving. He appeared in the Mokhotlong Magistrates Court in Lesotho in October 2023 on a charge of murder. The court ruled that he stayed behind bars until his extradition process is complete. SAPS and LMPS were in contact, and the body of the 40-year-old victim was repatriated to South Africa for the post-mortem and burial. "The arrival of Maketoane back in South Africa marks a crucial step forward in our pursuit of justice. He is expected to appear in the Heilbron Magistrate's Court on Friday on charges of murder and kidnapping," Makhele said.
GAUTENG: The Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team arrested two suspects aged 35 and 52 in Soweto yesterday for alleged fraud linked to the National Lottery Commission (NLC). The Hawks said in August 2021, the suspects collectively submitted falsified applications for funding to the National Lottery Commission (NLC) on pretence that they are committee members of a non-profit organisation called Kgatelopele Foundation. Upon receipt of a fraudulent application for funding, the application was taken through the NLC's processes, after which the funding of an amount of R885,000 was approved. NLC paid R500 000 to the account of Kgatelopele Foundation as a first tranche. An amount of R380 000 was due to be paid after receipt of the progress report on the projects, which were in terms of fund application, planned for the community of Platfontein in the Northern Cape as a second tranche.
MPUMALANGA: An operation conducted by the Border Management Authority (BMA) has led to the arrest of a man who was carrying 34 passports and an undisclosed amount of cash.BMA said the man carrying the passports was arrested at the Lebombo port of entry to Mozambique yesterday. According to BMA, of the 34 passports, 32 belonged to Mozambican nationals, and two were identified as belonging to Angolan nationals. The suspect will appear in the Komatipoort Magistrates Court soon.
KWAZULU-NATAL: The KwaZulu Natal High Court found two women and a pastor guilty of killing two children after claiming that the deceased were possessed by demons. The trio killed the victims, aged nine and 10, who were murdered in Ntuzuma in March 2020. One of the women was the mother of the 10-year-old. The accused alleged that the deceased were sucking the blood out of one of the accused's children. KZN NPA said on 24 March 2020, the women invited the pastor to their home to pray for the two children to drive out the demonic spirits. During the prayers, the children were assaulted with plastic pipes and sjambok. They were also punched and burned with a two-plate stove. The NPA said the nine-year-old died immediately following the assault, and the police were alerted about the incident and rushed to the scene. On arrival, the accused were arrested, and the 10-year-old child, who was still alive, was taken to the hospital but died two weeks later.
LIMPOPO: Police in Limpopo have launched a manhunt for suspects after the discovery of two bodies. The police said they were alerted about a missing 45-year-old woman who disappeared after visiting a farm on Saturday. A search on the farm revealed the body of the missing woman and another body of a 35-year-old foreign national woman in an advanced stage of decomposition. The police said that further investigations revealed that both women had gunshot wounds and were visiting the farm with a 47-year-old foreign man, who was also shot and was recuperating in the hospital. The motive of the shooting is unknown.
