Man arrested for MURDER of 77-year-old woman

Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, welcomed the arrest of the suspect who was responsible for the murder of 77-year-old, Rose Mabasa.

He was also responsible for the the attempted murder of her 32-year-old daughter in an incident that occurred on 21 January 2023 at around 01:00 in Mashau Bodwe village outside Louis Trichardt.

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Suspect hands himself over to police after murder

In the early hours of Monday 20 February 2023, the 43-year-old suspect handed himself over to the police at Levubu, and he was subsequently arrested.

He is facing charges of house robbery, attempted murder, and kidnapping.

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On that fateful day, the elderly woman, her daughter, and her daughter’s three children were attacked by the young woman’s ex-boyfriend, who forcibly entered their house.

The suspect used a panga to attack both mother and daughter before forcing his five-year-old child into a vehicle.

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Vehicle later found abandoned

After sustaining severe injuries, both victims were taken to the hospital.

Police opened two counts of attempted murder, kidnapping, and theft of a motor vehicle, and launched a manhunt.

The victim’s vehicle was later found abandoned in Makhado.

The child was safely located at his father’s homestead in Mashamba village.

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Unfortunately, the elderly woman later succumbed to her injuries, and the attempted murder case was changed to murder.

“We appreciate the cooperation of the community members who allowed us space to thoroughly investigate the matter until we arrested the suspect,” said Hadebe.

The suspect appeared in the Vuwani Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday 21 February 2023.

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