POLOKWANE - Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the arrest of the suspect responsible for the murder of a 77-year-old woman, Rose Mabasa and an attempted murder of her daughter aged 32 during an incident that took place on 21 January 2023 at about 01:00 in Mashau Bodwe village outside Louis Trichardt.

The 43-year-old suspect was arrested in the early hours of today on Monday 20 February 2023, after he handed himself over to the police at Levubu. He is facing charges of House robbery, attempted murder and Kidnapping.

On this fateful day, the elderly woman, her daughter and her daughter's three children were attacked by the young woman's ex-boyfriend after he forcibly entered their house. The suspect hacked both mother and daughter with a panga and thereafter forced his five-year-old child into the vehicle belonging to his mother (ex-girlfriend) and drove away.

Both victims were taken to hospital after they sustained severe injuries. Consequent to the horrific incident, the Police opened two counts of attempted murder, kidnapping and theft of a motor vehicle and the manhunt was then launched.

The victim's vehicle was later found abandoned in Makhado and soon after that the child was also safely located at his father's homestead in Mashamba village.

The old woman, later succumbed to the injuries and the attempted murder case was changed into murder.

“We appreciate the cooperation of the community members who allowed us space to thoroughly investigate the matter until the suspect was arrested, "said Lieutenant General Hadebe

The suspect is expected to appear in the Vuwani Magistrate's Court on Tuesday 21 February 2023.

Source: South African Police Service