Moyahabo Mabeba
When the suspect is discharged from hospital he will be held in custody for the suspected rape and murder of six-year-old Bokamoso Tjabadi.
Bokamoso’s uncle, George Tjebadi, beat the suspect after discovering his niece’s lifeless body in the suspect’s home on Monday.
Bokamoso had gone missing on Sunday. George was part of a widespread search for her in the close-knit village of Phokwane, Ga-Sekhukhune in Limpopo.
Police and community members searched the nearby mountain over Sunday and Monday.
On Monday morning, George insisted that they search the suspect’s house because he was a known delinquent with a history of robbing people of their cell phones and money at knifepoint.
“I instructed him to open the door but he refused. I overpowered him and found the body of Bokamoso with her head covered with a maize bag,” said George.
“I was shattered. I went outside to tell the family what I had just seen. I then beat him up, asking him why he killed my niece.”
The suspect is in hospital with head and rib injuries.
Bokamoso’s aunt, Elizabeth Sello, said they have always known that the suspect was a good-for-nothing neighbour.
“This man lived like a hobo. We always feared for our lives when we met him on the street, especially at night,” she said.
“This week he hurt us in a way we could never imagine.”
Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe said a postmortem will be conducted to determine how the child was killed.
“The motive is unknown but the possibility that he attempted covering up another crime such as rape cannot be ruled out.”
