Fifteen-year-old Keleabetse Seleka went missing in November after allegedly telling her friend she was going to meet a "blesser" in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria.
And now, in what is an uncanny coincidence, it has emerged a man implicated in her kidnapping and murder previously posted on social media, saying he was a blesser looking for curvy and chubby women to bless.
John Lekubu is one of four men who will appear in the Atteridgeville Magistrate's Court today facing kidnapping and murder charges. Authorities have named the three others as Leshilo Mashau, Tebogo Mabolane and Eugene Machete. All four have already made two appearances and will formally apply for bail.
Police arrested them on December 28, after tracking Lekubu to his shack in Brazzaville, an informal settlement near Atteridgeville.
Lekubu apparently led police to the pit latrine in which, together with his accomplices, allegedly disposed Seleka's body after killing her.
The three others were arrested after police questioned Lekubu.
In June, he allegedly posted on several blesser finder Facebook pages, including Blesser Finder Worldwide and Blesser Finder Pretoria-LTD-, (see screen-grab below). He left a cellphone number at which he could be sent messages on WhatsApp.
When Sowetan phoned the number listed on the page, a man who answered the call would not identify himself but said he knew nothing about blessers.
No landline is listed and the website was not running yesterday when Sowetan tested it.
An official of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) told Sowetan Lekubu's posts would be part of their evidence in court.
"These guys are actually not blessers but chancers who lured this girl to a squatter camp," said the official, who cannot be named because he does not speak for the NPA.
Keleabetse reportedly left her home in Centurion on November 28.
"Her family started stressing when she did not come back. Days went by until her friend told the truth that she went to see a blesser in Atteridgeville," the official said.
A missing persons poster circulated in December by Pink Ladies, an organisation for missing children, said Keleabetse was last seen in November 28 on her way to Atteridgeville. The NPA official said her body was found decomposed, an indication the victim had been killed some weeks before.
"She wasn't identifiable, but Lekubu confirmed it is her. This is why the four have been charged with murder."
Atteridgeville police spokesman Captain Thomas Mufamadi confirmed the case. He said they were investigating murder and kidnapping charges. "On 28 December the lady was found in a pit toilet. She was decomposed."
Mufamadi confirmed Lekubu and Mashau as being part of the suspects.
nkosib@sowetan.co.za
'Blesser' up for teen's murder
Fifteen-year-old Keleabetse Seleka went missing in November after allegedly telling her friend she was going to meet a "blesser" in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria.
And now, in what is an uncanny coincidence, it has emerged a man implicated in her kidnapping and murder previously posted on social media, saying he was a blesser looking for curvy and chubby women to bless.
John Lekubu is one of four men who will appear in the Atteridgeville Magistrate's Court today facing kidnapping and murder charges. Authorities have named the three others as Leshilo Mashau, Tebogo Mabolane and Eugene Machete. All four have already made two appearances and will formally apply for bail.
Police arrested them on December 28, after tracking Lekubu to his shack in Brazzaville, an informal settlement near Atteridgeville.
Lekubu apparently led police to the pit latrine in which, together with his accomplices, allegedly disposed Seleka's body after killing her.
The three others were arrested after police questioned Lekubu.
In June, he allegedly posted on several blesser finder Facebook pages, including Blesser Finder Worldwide and Blesser Finder Pretoria-LTD-, (see screen-grab below). He left a cellphone number at which he could be sent messages on WhatsApp.
When Sowetan phoned the number listed on the page, a man who answered the call would not identify himself but said he knew nothing about blessers.
No landline is listed and the website was not running yesterday when Sowetan tested it.
An official of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) told Sowetan Lekubu's posts would be part of their evidence in court.
"These guys are actually not blessers but chancers who lured this girl to a squatter camp," said the official, who cannot be named because he does not speak for the NPA.
Keleabetse reportedly left her home in Centurion on November 28.
"Her family started stressing when she did not come back. Days went by until her friend told the truth that she went to see a blesser in Atteridgeville," the official said.
A missing persons poster circulated in December by Pink Ladies, an organisation for missing children, said Keleabetse was last seen in November 28 on her way to Atteridgeville. The NPA official said her body was found decomposed, an indication the victim had been killed some weeks before.
"She wasn't identifiable, but Lekubu confirmed it is her. This is why the four have been charged with murder."
Atteridgeville police spokesman Captain Thomas Mufamadi confirmed the case. He said they were investigating murder and kidnapping charges. "On 28 December the lady was found in a pit toilet. She was decomposed."
Mufamadi confirmed Lekubu and Mashau as being part of the suspects.
nkosib@sowetan.co.za
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