Khwee Youth ‘Kills’ Middle-Aged Girlfriend

A26-year-old man of Khwee village, north of Letlhakane, has allegedly murdered his 47-year-old girlfriend of the same village.

Letlhakane Police Station Commander, Superintendent Michael Maphephu confirmed to The Monitor investigation into the case. He said they received a report from a passerby who saw the deceased’s lifeless body in the bush.

The matter was reported to the police on Friday. “We suspect that the incident occurred on Thursday. We suspect that the duo had a misunderstanding that led to a fight prior to the deceased’s death. It is suspected that the suspect, who is currently in police custody assisting the police in the investigation, used a stick to assault the deceased to death,” he said. Maphephu said the suspect caned the deceased and left her in the bush overnight to be discovered by a passerby the following morning.

He said the suspect, who has been on the run, was arrested by the police yesterday (Sunday) morning. “Looking at the injuries she had sustained, it appeared that she was beaten with a dry stick.

The lad is facing a single count of murder and is likely to appear before Letlhakane Magistrate’s Court either today or tomorrow,” he said. Maphephu raised concern over the escalating murder incidents in his policing area that occur as a result of relationship-related issues.

He said the rise in murder incidents worries him because they have been conducting campaigns urging people to respect the sanctity of life. He said in their community outreach forums they have been pleading with people to avoid settling disputes through violent means, but that seems to be falling on deaf ears. Maphephu said the fights between intimate partners are of great concern because they usually lead to death.

He stated that they usually occur when one party wants to walk out of the relationship whilst the other, mostly out of jealousy and insecurity, takes the extreme approach.

“People should change their attitude, and show consideration for their lives and that of other people. It seems like as the police we have a lot to do towards changing people’s attitude and their approach towards life,” Maphephu said. He added that usually, the victims tend to be women whose lives would occasionally end in the most inhumane way.