Murder CLOSE TO HOME: Three women, child killed in GBV attacks

Three women and a child were allegedly killed by boyfriends in three separate gender based murder cases reported in Qwaqwa and Bethlehem at the weekend.

A spokesperson for the Free State SAPS said that the police had attended the first crime scene on Saturday at around 15:05.

“Police attended a crime scene at Captain Charles in Bohlokong near Bethlehem where the body of a woman, 31, was found lying inside a shack with a fatal stab wound on her right ear,” he said.

He said her body was found “swollen and muddy” covered with a blanket on the floor. 

“The motive behind the killing is not yet known. A case of murder is being investigated. No arrest has been made yet,” he said.

In a separate incident on Sunday police and emergency medical services responded to the scene of another murder at around 13:30.

Gruesome murder scene greets police

“Tseki police and Emergency Medical Services were summoned to Phamong Village in Qwaqwa where three bodies were found in the house with fatal gunshot wounds and (a) firearm on the floor,” he said.

“The child, 9,  was rushed to a local hospital as she was still alive but died later. It is alleged that the boyfriend was from Makwane Village and arrived at the house in Phamong where he allegedly shot and fatally wounded the girlfriend, 22, child, 9, and himself, 25. The motive behind the killings   is not yet known but the postmortem will be conducted. Cases of double murder and inquest were opened,” he said.

In a third incident the Phuthaditjhaba police were summoned to Mphatlalatsane Village in Phuthaditjhaba at about 17:50 on Sunday.

“A body of a woman (28) was found inside the house with fatal wounds that  allegedly resulted from being battered with a stick by boyfriend. The motive behind the killing is not yet known. A case of murder is being investigated,” he said.

He said the police had launched a manhunt for the suspect.