Mpumalanga man hands himself to police after shooting dead boy (10)

A 41-year-old man has handed himself over to authorities in Mhluzi following the fatal shooting of a 10-year-old boy, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga has said.

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SUSPECT CHARGED FOR MPUMALANGA BOY’S MURDER

According to SAPS Mpumalanga spokesperson Selvy Mohlala, the boy was shot dead on a sports field after a soccer match on the evening of 14 August 2022.

“According to the information, on that fateful day there were soccer games held at the sport grounds in Mhluzi. The tournament by teams were completed and thereafter participants left with only few people remaining, including the teenager. It is said that a sound of a gunshot was heard then the young boy was seen falling down,” Mohlala said.

Police and the medical personnel were subsequently called to the scene and the boy was declared dead. The motive behind the shocking act remains unknown at this stage.

“Police opened a murder case and while still at the scene, they noticed that the victim had a gunshot wound in the head. Police received some news regarding a possible suspect to the murder incident and whilst in pursuit of this information, the said man handed himself over to the police in the morning today (Friday, 19 August 2022) and he was detained”

SAPS Mpumalanga spokesperson Selvy Mohlala

He is expected to appear in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court  on Monday, 22 August 2022 facing a charge of murder.

Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has strongly condemend the incident, saying in part: “It is unfortunate that men who are supposed to ensure that children are safe happens to be the ones often committing these crimes. We hope that justice will be served for the family of the victim”