Murder suspect still on the run after death of teenager

LADY Frere police are searching for a young man, who is accused of stabbing 15-year-old Avile Gongota to death in Ngqanda administrative area in the early hours of Monday.

The teenager’s killing is one of four murders that happened in Lady Frere the weekend leading up to New Year’s Day.

Police spokeswoman Captain Namhla Mdleleni said it is alleged that an argument broke out between the suspect and the deceased.

“The deceased was stabbed and taken to hospital where he died on arrival. Lady Frere police are investigating a case of murder and the suspect is still at large,” she said.

Ngqanda administrative area ward councillor Thandiwe Ndlela said according to the people who witnessed the incident, the suspect, who had just returned from initiation school, had an argument with a boy yet to be circumcised.

“The boy [allegedly] tried to stab the suspect and Gongota tried to stop the two from fighting. He was then stabbed by the suspect, who then fled the scene,” she said.

Ndlela said she had visited the homes of the suspect and the deceased to hear all sides of the story.

“We really need police visibility in our area. We have a problem of gangsters where boys from the villages fight with each other and some end up not going to school because of these gangsters,” she said.

The councillor said taverns, which operate for 24 hours, and drugs were the causes of the high rate of crime in the area.

“Murders are a common thing in our villages and if these taverns can close on time, that could help as most cases happen at night,” she said.

Mdleleni said in another incident a 35-year-old man from Bengu administrative area had been arrested and charged with murder after he allegedly stabbed and killed another man on New Year’s Eve.

“In Machubeni administrative area, three suspects were arrested after they allegedly killed a 24-yearold man. Also in Machubeni another man was killed after an argument broke out between two men.

“The deceased was allegedly stabbed and he died on arrival at Glen Grey Hospital,” said Mdleleni.

Bengu ward councillor Nolisten Kama and Machubeni ward councillor Nolwandle Kraqa echoed Ndlela’s sentiments.

The councillors said they had been raising the issue of alcohol and drug abuse in their wards for a long time.

Mdleleni said all five suspects had appeared in the Lady Frere Magi Court on Tuesday but the cases had been postponed for formal bail application. —