man and woman shallow graves Limpopo

Five suspects were remanded in custody for their alleged involvement in the murder of a man and a woman who went missing in 2022. Image: Pixabay.

Five arrested after missing man and woman’s bodies discovered in shallow graves

The bodies of a man and woman who were reported missing in Limpopo in 2022 were discovered in shallow graves.

man and woman shallow graves Limpopo

Five suspects were remanded in custody for their alleged involvement in the murder of a man and a woman who went missing in 2022. Image: Pixabay.

Five suspects have been arrested in Limpopo for the alleged kidnapping and murder of a man and a woman whose bodies were found on shallow graves over the weekend.

The two were reported missing under mysterious circumstances in February and July  2022. The  woman went missing in  February 2022 under Makhado Policing precinct and was only reported earlier in 2023 while the man was reported missing in July 2022 under Tshilwavhusiku policing area.

MISSING MAN AND WOMAN’S BODIES FOUND IN SHALLOW GRAVES 

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the 33-year-old woman allegedly left  home in Sekonye village in Botlokwa to visit Louis Trichardt in February 2022. 

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Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the Investigations conducted by the Vhembe Task Team subsequently managed to uncover the long kept secret which revealed that she was actually kidnapped by the suspects who in the process tortured and subsequently killed her and buried her in a shallow grave. This after she reportedly refused to surrender a property in Makhado which was initially used as a brothel.

man and woman shallow graves Limpopo
A sangoma and his crew in Mabopane. Image: TMPD.

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Mojapelo said the Task Team also received  information through crime intelligence operatives about the kidnapping and the killing of  a 40-year-old man who became the victim of vigilantism when he was reportedly kidnapped from his home in Tshilwavhusiku in July 2022 after he was accused of stealing copper cables.

The probe revealed that the victims were  buried in shallow graves at Rathidili  and Madodonga villages respectively.

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“Two of the suspects were already in  custody for murder and other serious crimes. The other three were arrested in their hideout in Mahwelereng and apprehended.  The team recovered a 9mm pistol with serial number filed off and eight rounds of ammunition.

“Forensic investigations are underway to make conclusive identification of the remains. All these  suspects are alleged to be the same individuals who had been in charge of vigilante groups in Tshilwabusiku and the neighbouring  villages under Makhado policing areas.”

Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo

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