THREE men accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl in the Free State appeared briefly in the Virginia Magistrate's Court yesterday.
Brothers Simon and Teboho Barries, 19 and 21 respectively, and their friend Mokete Motekeng, also 21, are all from Meloding, Virginia.
According to police spokesman Kgosana Malebo, the murder took place on November 24.
Kgosana said the three men approached the victim and her boyfriend with the intention of mugging them. The 16-year-old boyfriend ran away, leaving the girl there.
Kgosana said the three accused then lured the victim, who cannot be named, to an isolated place in the veld, where they repeatedly raped her.
He said on their way back to the township they realised that she would be able to recognise the two brothers so they raped her again and then killed her.
"After hearing about the missing girl the community started a search, assisted the police in finding the body of the girl and helped to arrest the two men," Kgosana said.
He said they were able to apprehend the the third suspect at the weekend after he had been on the run since the day of the murder.
Kgosana said the third suspect was arrested following a tip-off about his whereabouts from a member of the community.
He asked members of the Virginia SAPS to swiftly arrest him, which they did successfully.
Kgosana said Teboho Barries, brother of one of the suspects who were initially taken into custody, was arrested at one of the scrap yards at V1, Virginia.
He had just finished selling scrap metal to the dealer.
The police nabbed him as he was about to leave the scrap metal dealer's premises.
The three men will appear again in court on December 15 for bail application.
Siblings in court for rape, murder
THREE men accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl in the Free State appeared briefly in the Virginia Magistrate's Court yesterday.
Brothers Simon and Teboho Barries, 19 and 21 respectively, and their friend Mokete Motekeng, also 21, are all from Meloding, Virginia.
According to police spokesman Kgosana Malebo, the murder took place on November 24.
Kgosana said the three men approached the victim and her boyfriend with the intention of mugging them. The 16-year-old boyfriend ran away, leaving the girl there.
Kgosana said the three accused then lured the victim, who cannot be named, to an isolated place in the veld, where they repeatedly raped her.
He said on their way back to the township they realised that she would be able to recognise the two brothers so they raped her again and then killed her.
"After hearing about the missing girl the community started a search, assisted the police in finding the body of the girl and helped to arrest the two men," Kgosana said.
He said they were able to apprehend the the third suspect at the weekend after he had been on the run since the day of the murder.
Kgosana said the third suspect was arrested following a tip-off about his whereabouts from a member of the community.
He asked members of the Virginia SAPS to swiftly arrest him, which they did successfully.
Kgosana said Teboho Barries, brother of one of the suspects who were initially taken into custody, was arrested at one of the scrap yards at V1, Virginia.
He had just finished selling scrap metal to the dealer.
The police nabbed him as he was about to leave the scrap metal dealer's premises.
The three men will appear again in court on December 15 for bail application.
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