PETANENGE VILLAGE: A man has been stoned to death by residents of Patenenge, in Greater Tzaneen after they accused him of raping and killing a six-year-old girl on Saturday afternoon.
The Ritavi Police received a report about the body of a child and that of a 28-year-old man at Lusaka village. On arrival they found the body of a child with brutal neck injuries and the man appeared to have been stoned to death.
Preliminary Police investigations revealed that the six years old child allegedly fetched some oranges from her grandmother’s home at about 08h30 and never reached her homestead.
The family, assisted by community members started searching for her and later, at about 14h00, they reportedly received information that the child was last seen with the suspect who stays at Lusaka village at Dan area. They then proceeded to the area and allegedly found him hiding in the house.
The suspect, allegedly told community members that he raped the child and then killed her to conceal evidence. He then led them to the place where he hid the body. On arrival, the body was indeed found hidden under the shrubs.
“The rape and brutal killing of a six-year-old child is shockingly devastating and we therefore call on all our communities, especially parents and guardians to always take extra measures to protect children,” Said Lieutenant General Hadebe
The Provincial Commissioner continued to warn all people to desist from taking the law into their own hands but actively assist the police in the fight against crime.
Police opened cases of rape and murder against the suspect (deceased) and another case of murder that resulted from vigilantism.
