‘Terriying incident: Five men arrested for murder, gang raping three women

A group of five men has been arrested in Mpumalanga for the savage murder of a Nigerian national and raping three women, incidents which prompted the Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela to express her concern over the level of crime being committed by the youth.

“This comes in the wake of a terrifying incident in which five suspects were arrested on allegations of murdering a Nigerian man, aged 25 as well as for gang raping three women, aged between 27 and 35. Three of those suspects are under age (two are 17 years of age whilst one is 16 years old). The incident reportedly occurred at Bethal on Friday night, 17 June 2022,” said SAPS Mpumalanga spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.

Police reportedly received a complaint from Bethal hospital about the man, who was admitted with multiple stab wounds but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. Upon arrival at the hospital the members opened a murder case.

“The investigation by the police then revealed that on that fateful night, a group of about five males reportedly had an altercation with the man who then ran towards a local fuel station in Bethal. It is further alleged that the man was pursued by the suspects thereby stabbing him several times before they left him in a pool of blood. The medical personnel were notified about the incident and upon arrival they took him to hospital but later the victim was certified dead.”

SAPS Mpumalanga spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala

SAPS MPUMALANGA: MURDER SUSPECTS ALSO ACCUSED OF GANG RAPE

Mpumalanga Police soon learnt through their probe that after the Nigerian man was stabbed, the suspects proceeded to a certain house where they found three women and allegedly gang raped them before they fled the scene on foot.

It was not long before the five were cornered and arrested as well as charged for murder with additional three counts of rape on Saturday, 18 June 2022.

“The man has reportedly been identified by his family as Mr June Mwafor and the police are working in collaboration with other stakeholders, including the Probation Officers as well as Social Workers, taking into consideration the fact that some of the suspects are minors. Police cannot rule out the possibility of the five being involved in some kind of gangsterism however this will form part of the investigation by the detectives,” Mohala added.

All suspects are expected to appear at the Bethal Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 20 June 2022