Pretoria - Police in Mahwelereng have launched a manhunt after a 23-year-old woman was murdered by a man believed to be her boyfriend, after a heated argument.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the woman was brutally killed on Wednesday, at Mozumbane village.
“The body of the deceased was found the next day on Thursday lying in a pool of blood, with multiple stab wounds. Preliminary police investigations revealed that an argument ensued between the suspect and the victim during the night on Wednesday,” said Mojapelo.
“We are calling upon Sthembiso Elia Dube popularly known as (Evens Khosa), whom is believed to be a foreign national, to avail himself at any nearest police station to help with investigations.”
Police said the slain woman was positively identified by a relative at the crime scene as Thabiso Mdibaniso.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has appealed to community members to assist in the ongoing investigation, by providing information that can lead to the arrest of the suspect.
“Anyone with information that can lead to the apprehension of the suspect should contact the investigating officer, Sergeant Patrick Bebeda on 083 721 8622, Crime Stop number 08600 10111, nearest police station or the My SAPS App,” the police appealed.
Earlier this week, a 53-year-old soldier, based at the Polokwane Military Base, was handed a life term for the murder of his wife in 2019.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the High Court in Polokwane sentenced Maesela Lucas Ledwaba to life imprisonment for murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a prohibited firearm and defeating the ends of justice.
Judge President Ephraim Makgoba ordered the life sentence to run concurrently with the sentences for the other crimes.
Malabi-Dzhangi said the accused and his wife had had an argument at their marital home on the night of October 15, 2019.
“The accused shot and killed his wife, Pheladi Beauty Ledwaba, while she was asleep. Their four children were in the house, sleeping in the same bedroom with the parents.”
Malabi-Dzhangi said that the next morning, the accused had cleaned the room and removed the cartridge.
She said the accused had covered the deceased with a blanket and locked her up in their room. He had then taken two of their children with him to the police station to hand over his licensed firearm.
Malabi-Dzhangi said that during the trial, Ledwaba had pleaded not guilty to the offence but the court found him guilty as charged.
She said that in aggravation of sentence, State advocate Lerato Mohlaka had argued that the accused, despite being employed as a soldier in the Polokwane Military Camp and being a law enforcement officer, had killed the mother of his three minor children.
“He also had a maintenance court order issued against him in April 2022, for an amount of R2 010, proving that he was not financially responsible for the children, who are currently in the care of their paternal aunt.”
Malabi-Dzhangi said the accused had neither contributed financially towards his wife’s funeral and nor had he apologised to her family and children.
She said the accused had demonstrated no remorse during the trial.
IOL