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Man to appear in court for axe murder of wife, children
A man faces six counts of murder after his wife and their five children were bludgeoned to death on Tuesday
Image via: Adobe Stock
A 32-year-old man is expected to make an appearance in a court in Elliotdale in Eastern Cape, over the gruesome killing of his wife and the couple’s five children, on Monday, 30 November 2020.
“The 32-year-old suspect in the recent killings of six (6) family members in Kwaaiman will be in Court on Monday the 30 November 2020, at Elliotdale, not at Mqanduli as was reported earlier,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the province said in a statement.
“The alleged suspect is to face six counts of murder after a 42-year-old Mother was murdered together with her five children aged between 6 months and 10-years-old last Tuesday Night. It is believed that an Axe was used during the incident,” said SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana.
At first, police had said he was merely a person of interest and had information which could lead to the arrests of the suspects.
Man planned to flee after murder of family
According to police, the 42-year-old woman and her five children were discovered dead in their home in Dabekweni situated between Coffee Bay and Mthatha. Sadly, the youngest victim was an infant who was only six months.
Authorities believe the man, a Zimbabwean national, fled the scene for King Williams Town not too long after murdering his own family. The man was said to have been planning to flee to his home country.
He was arrested on the evening of Thursday, 26th November 2020.
Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga has lauded law enforcement for managing to apprehend the suspects.
“I am truly excited at this major breakthrough by the integration of capable and proficient detectives. Their sleepless nights of investigation have paid dividends. The suspect must now face the law. Crimes against Women and Children are a top priority of the South African Police Service, therefore our communities must not only hear this but must see its manifestations in the outcomes of the work that we do,” Ntshinga said.
The tragedy comes as Deputy President David Mabuza launched the 16 Days of Activism campaign, against the abuse of women and children.
“We are certain that if we work together as a nation to repair the social fabric of our society, victory is guaranteed. We can now eradicate all these social ills and build a nation that is stronger and united,” he said.
