Man arrested after children find human skull outside White River

A 24-year-old man faces a charge of murder after being arrested in connection with the disappearance of 15-year-old girl. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga, a human skull was discovered in the bushes at Nkanini Trust near Masoyi outside White River, by children from an initiation school on Sunday, 14 August 2022.

“Police connected their dots and discovered there was a little girl who went missing in December 2021 and reported as such by her family in the beginning of January 2022.  Preliminary investigation by the team of experts in the investigation field revealed that the skeleton could be that of the 15-year-old girl who vanished without a trace. The family believes it is her as they identified the dress that was found at the scene”

Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, SAPS Mpumalanga spokesperson

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WOMAN ACCUSED OF SHIELDING SUSPECT

According to SAPS Mpumalanga, a woman stormed the Masoyi Police Station just days after the remains were discovered, claiming some members of the community were accusing her of shielding the suspect and wanted to assault her.

Police managed to intervene and calm the situation while requesting members of the public to leave everything in their hands. The team subsequently received crucial information in their probe from a member from the Community Policing Forum (CPF) about the whereabouts of the suspect.

“The details were followed which culminated into his arrest at Malelane, of course with the great help offered by the police from Malelane SAPS. It is further believed that the suspect could have been trying to flee from the authorities when he was cornered,” Mohlala added.

The suspect has since been charged for murder as well as defeating the ends of justice. He is due to appear at the Masoyi Periodical Court on Wednesday, 17 August 2022. Police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against the suspect as the investigation proceeds.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has hailed the breakthrough made by the members of the police, but has also condemned the acts of violence against defenseless women.

“It is a shameful thing that a similar incident of this nature occurred in the same policing area of Masoyi where the little girl, Buntle Mashiyane was brutally murdered recently. We never expected that such an atrocity can be experienced by this community in a short space of time. This is a moral issue and we urge Faith-Based Organisations as well as Traditional Leaders to join hands with us to fight the scourge,” she said.