Pretoria: A 24-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly severely assaulted his girlfriend, 30, and stole her money and cellphones at Mamojela park informal settlement in the Lephalale policing area.
Limpopo police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mamphaswa Seabi said the incident happened on Sunday just before midnight.
“The suspect allegedly arrived at the victim's home and started to attack and threaten to burn her inside the shack. The victim managed to escape and ran to the neighbours to seek help but the suspect followed her and upon arrival, he assaulted her with a sharp object… She sustained serious injuries,” said Seabi.
Community members came to the woman’s assistance and called police.
By the time the police arrive, the assailant had fled the scene.
“Preliminary investigations have indicated that the suspect stole… money and two cellphones from the victim. Further investigations revealed that the victim had a protection order against the suspect,” said Seabi.
The 24-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday at his house in Mamojela Park, “subsequent to the well operationalised information by the Lephalale detectives”.
Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has warned community members across the province to stop resorting to violence and instead seek professional assistance when faced with domestic challenges.
She commended the swift arrest of the suspect and urged police to intensify their fight against gender-based violence.
Seabi said the 24-year-old was charged with contravention of a protection order, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and theft.
Police in Limpopo said the investigations were continuing.
In May, the High Court in Polokwane sentenced 32-year-old Raphiri Jappie Shiko to life in jail after convicting him of the ‘grisly murder’ of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Moloko Coslina Matete, 22, at Molinda village in Witpoort, outside Lephalale.
On count one of murder, Shiko was sentenced to life imprisonment; on the count of violation of a protection order, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment; and for escaping from lawful custody, he was handed down an additional 10 years in jail.
IOL