A 28 year-old male suspect arrested in connection with two murder cases in which a 56 year old woman and her 31 year old son from Ivypark in Polokwane, were brutally murdered appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate court on Monday 22 January 2024.
Kgahlisho Ratsoma was remanded in police custody, and his case was postponed to Tuesday 23 January 2024 for further investigation. The suspect will appear before court together with his accomplice Katlego Ratsoma, aged 29, facing charges of house robbery, kidnapping, and murder.
The bodies of Magdeline Motlanthe and her son Nkgoropo Joseph Motlanthe were found in different locations, along Roedtan-Zebediela road in Waterberg and Apel in Sekhukhune Districts on 03/04 January 2024.
Their bodies, also dismembered, were discovered buried in shallow graves.
A Task Team compromising of Murder and Robbery Unit, Westenburg, and Lebowakgomo Detectives was established with the aim to resolve these cases and bring perpetrators to justice.
On Saturday, 20 January 2024, police received information that Kgahlisho had handed himself to Boksburg SAPS in Gauteng province, and a cellphone belonging to one of the victims also recovered.
On Sunday, 21 January 2024, police proceeded to Mohlaletsi village under the Apel policing area for further investigations that led to the recovery of an unlicenced firearm believed to have been used during the commission of the crime.
The firearm was recovered at a local Tuckshop belonging to a foreign national. He was then arrested for possession of an unlicenced firearm.
The suspect appeared before Sekhukhune Magistrate court on Monday 22 January 2024, and his case was postponed to next week Tuesday 30 January 2024 for bail application and further police investigations.
The operation concluded at Waterfalls under Mopani District, and the remaining body parts of the deceased were found stored in a black bucket. This brings the total number of suspects arrested to four, up to so far. The other were apprehended last week on 13 January 2024 at Ga Chuene and Polokwqne.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Jan Scheepers, vehemently denounced these horrendous events. “We strongly denounce the violence that has affected our society’s most vulnerable members. To make sure that justice is served, our teams will continue to work tirelessly and leave no stone unturned in combating these types of inhumane behaviour.”
Police investigations are continuing.
