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| Police Commendable in Apprehending Suspects Following Disturbing Discovery |
Balfour, Mpumalanga - The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Balfour swiftly apprehended two male suspects, aged 18 and 19, following the tragic murder of a 15-year-old girl on Friday, 15 December 2023.
The lifeless body of the young girl was discovered around 09:00 next to a dilapidated and unfinished house at Goede Section. Authorities, including the police and paramedics, were immediately notified. Upon arrival, the girl was found half-naked with a silver plastic wrapped around her private parts. Unfortunately, medical personnel at the scene confirmed her death.
Promptly opening a murder case, the police activated all available resources. The tireless efforts of law enforcement bore fruit, leading to the arrest of the first suspect (19) on Saturday, 16 December 2023, around 10:00. The second suspect, aged 18, was apprehended later that day around 14:00.
Both suspects have been charged and are expected to appear at the Balfour Magistrate's Court today, Monday, 18 December 2023, facing a murder charge. As the investigation unfolds, the possibility of sexual assault has not been ruled out, and an autopsy will be conducted to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the young girl's death.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has vehemently condemned the brutal killing, expressing deep concern over the incident's occurrence shortly after the conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. General Manamela commended the men and women in Blue for their swift action and dedication to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
"This is a very shameful incident seeing that we just had 16 days of Activism for no violence against women and children. We were looking forward to having zero such incidents. We hope that the law will take its course and justice be served for the innocent and murdered girl," said General Manamela.
The SAPS urges the community to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and encourages anyone with information related to the case to come forward.
Source: SAPS Media Statement
