Following an intensive investigation the police have made a major breakthrough in cracking the case in which three children were found murdered in Mookgopong in August 2012.
On Thursday the police arrested six suspects, aged between 12 and 14 years for the murder of a 9 year old Bafana Kekana, 10 year old Richard Kekana and 12 year old Johanna Kekana. The three sibling’s bodies were found by a passer-by between 9th Street and Constantia Resort.
Heavy, bloodied stones were found next to their bodies which were all tied with shoelaces and covered by tree branches. Investigation revealed that the 12-year old Johanna was raped before she was killed.
The deceased children were reported missing after they failed to return to Montadi Youth Care Centre where they lived following social workers’ recommendations.
The six suspects, who are all residents of Mookgopong, were arrested in Phomolong Section. They will appear before the Mookgopong Magistrate’s Court on Friday, facing three charges of Murder and rape.
The MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison Fulufhelo Radzilani commended the police for executing what seemed to be an elusive task. “We promised the community of Mookgopong that we will leave no stone unturned in finding the perpetrators and today we are happy that justice will prevail”, Radzilani said.
The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo Lt Gen Simon Mpembe was quick to point that the police did not neglect the importance of the case, but were busy exhausting all the avenues to get to the bottom of the matter. “We have a job to keep our communities safe and with this arrest we have assured the people of Mookgopong and the entire province that the police are out in full force and the criminal’s reign of terror has passed its sell-by date,” Mpembe concluded.
For enquiries please contact:
Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi
Cell: 082 373 2408
