Remains of a Limpopo woman found buried in a shallow grave

In January this year, Kgothatso Pula (27) was reported missing. That was after Pula who is from Seshego outside Polokwane reportedly visited her boyfriend (30) at Moletji ga-Setati also outside Polokwane, Limpopo.

Five months later, on Friday, 22 May, Pula’s remains were allegedly found buried in a shallow grave, in the backyard of her boyfriend’s family premises in the village.

According to the Limpopo provincial police spokesman Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, the boyfriend was arrested on Friday and is expected to appear before the Seshego Magistrate’s Court this week facing charges of kidnapping and attempted murder.

Finding Pula’s boyfriend

Mojapelo explained, “A well-coordinated intelligence-driven operation on Friday 22 May, conducted in Seshego Cluster, comprising members from Crime Intelligence, the Provincial Investigations Unit, a provincial tracking team and Polokwane Local Criminal Record Centre, led to the arrest of the boyfriend and the grisly discovery of the body buried in a shallow grave in the backyard at ga-Setati village outside Polokwane.”

Mojapelo said what was initially thought to be a case of a missing person that was reported at Seshego police station in January, following the disappearance of the woman while visiting someone said to be her boyfriend, turned out to be a gruesome murder that was concealed for almost five months.

Mojapelo said after the deceased was reported missing on 2 January 2020, a search operation was then embarked upon but she could not be located.

“The missing person enquiry was then transferred to the Provincial Investigations Unit for further handling. A team of investigators led by Lieutenant Colonel Richard Boshomane was assembled and immediately commenced with investigations,” said Mojapelo.

He said members of the team received information that took them to a spot at the boyfriend’s family premises, where the remains were exhumed from a shallow grave on Friday. The suspect, who is the boyfriend of the deceased, was then arrested.

The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has commended a team of dedicated investigators for ultimately arresting the suspect and recovering the remains of the woman.