A 26-year-old man on his deathbed has confessed to dumping the body of his girlfriend’s daughter in the Klein Modder River in Botshabelo.
Police said the body was identified by the mother as that of Tariro Jonas, 9, who the man, Kgotso Masukela, kidnapped on March 7. Masukela died in hospital after the confession.
Police spokesperson Col Thandi Mbambo said a case of inquest has been registered for further investigation.
Mbambo said the events that led to the incident started when a case of kidnapping was registered and the police went on the lookout for the girl.
“It is alleged that on the said day ... Kgotso Masukela assaulted the mother and, as she went to report the domestic violence-related incident and assault to the police, the boyfriend walked away with her daughter,” said Mbambo.
Mbambo said on Thursday, March 11 2021 at about 11pm, Masukela was caught by community members on the N8 freeway, dragged to a nearby field and allegedly assaulted.
“The police were called in the early hours of Friday, March 12 2021, at about 4am and found him badly injured. He told the police that he dumped the body of the girl in the river, and then later died in hospital. A case of murder was registered,” said Mbambo.
Mbambo said police divers searched the area for days with no luck until the body was seen floating in the river on Friday by a passer-by.
“The deceased was identified by the mother,” said Mbambo.
Mbambo said a post-mortem would be conducted on Tuesday, April 6 2021, to determine the cause of death and confirm the identity of the deceased.
Acting SAPS provincial commissioner, Maj-Gen Solly Lesia, has called on the community to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and said such actions jeopardised the investigation of cases.
TimesLIVE
Dying boyfriend confesses to dumping body of girlfriend's daughter in river
Image: 123rf/Igor Stevanovic
A 26-year-old man on his deathbed has confessed to dumping the body of his girlfriend’s daughter in the Klein Modder River in Botshabelo.
Police said the body was identified by the mother as that of Tariro Jonas, 9, who the man, Kgotso Masukela, kidnapped on March 7. Masukela died in hospital after the confession.
Police spokesperson Col Thandi Mbambo said a case of inquest has been registered for further investigation.
Mbambo said the events that led to the incident started when a case of kidnapping was registered and the police went on the lookout for the girl.
“It is alleged that on the said day ... Kgotso Masukela assaulted the mother and, as she went to report the domestic violence-related incident and assault to the police, the boyfriend walked away with her daughter,” said Mbambo.
Mbambo said on Thursday, March 11 2021 at about 11pm, Masukela was caught by community members on the N8 freeway, dragged to a nearby field and allegedly assaulted.
“The police were called in the early hours of Friday, March 12 2021, at about 4am and found him badly injured. He told the police that he dumped the body of the girl in the river, and then later died in hospital. A case of murder was registered,” said Mbambo.
Mbambo said police divers searched the area for days with no luck until the body was seen floating in the river on Friday by a passer-by.
“The deceased was identified by the mother,” said Mbambo.
Mbambo said a post-mortem would be conducted on Tuesday, April 6 2021, to determine the cause of death and confirm the identity of the deceased.
Acting SAPS provincial commissioner, Maj-Gen Solly Lesia, has called on the community to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and said such actions jeopardised the investigation of cases.
TimesLIVE
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