Limpopo woman, lover arrested for husband’s murder

A 38-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the killing of her husband in Seshego, Limpopo. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the province, she is said to have planned his murder together with her young lover and an accomplice.

“The Special Task Team comprising the Provincial Tracking Team, the Provincial Investigation Unit and the Provincial Crime Intelligence Unit has successfully cracked a very complicated murder case which is believed to be domestic related,” said Limpopo SAPS spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe.

The victim, 43-year-old Archibald Manaka was stabbed to death by attackers who had stormed his home in Moletjie, Ga-Makweya, back in April 2020.

At the time of the incident, police believed the motive to be robbery.

“When the police arrived at the scene, the deceased’s wife reported that three unknown suspects forcefully entered the house, attacked her husband and took an undisclosed amount of money, laptop and fled the scene,” Ngoepe further said.

Limpopo Police: Motive for man’s murder not clear

Police subsequently opened an investigation into the matter and it was not too long before they had a break.

“These special Task Team was established by the Deputy Provincial Commissioner in Limpopo, responsible for Crime Detection, Major General Samuel Manala which took over the investigation as part of the Provincial intervention on this complex matter,” police said.

“The Team worked tirelessly and intensively leading to the apprehension of the deceased’s wife, aged 38, her alleged boyfriend aged 27 and his accomplice aged 30, last night in the Namakgale area outside Phalaborwa and in Moletjie under the Seshego Policing area”

Certain details surrounding the murder remain uncertain, including the motive. Police have not ruled out the woman having killed him for financial gain, however an investigation is still underway. At this point, the robbery theory is out the window as police believe the end game might have been to murder Manaka.

“The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba is impressed by the meticulous investigations conducted by these Team of Detectives led by Major General Manala for cracking such a complex matter within a short space of time,” Ngoepe said.

The suspects are expected to appear in the Seshego Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 20 November 2020 facing charges of Conspiracy to commit murder, Murder, Perjury, Defeating the ends of justice and Contravention of Disaster Act.