A 60 year old man from Soshanguve is expected to appear before the Soshanguve Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 27 December 2019, on a charge of murder following the retrieval of the body of his six year old stepdaughter from a dam in Block GG, Soshanguve.
Preliminary investigations suggest that this transpired after a fight between the suspect and his 22 year old girlfriend, who is the deceased child’s mother. At the time of the child’s disappearance, it is alleged that the mother was not at home. The three lived together in Block PP2, Ndlozi Section in Soshanguve.
Police on Sunday, 22 December 2019 embarked on a search for the little girl after she had been reported missing at Rietgat SAPS. During the critical initial investigation, police were able to swiftly establish that the 60 year old suspect was behind the disappearance of the child; where after the man on Monday afternoon, 23 December 2019, a day after her disappearance, pointed out to the police the exact spot where he had allegedly dumped the body of the child.
While the nature of visible injuries on the victim’s body suggest that the child had been strangled, the exact cause of death will be confirmed by the outcome of the post mortem set to be conducted in due course.
Police have at this point been able to also establish that the suspect is an ex convict who previously spent 25 years behind bars for the murder of his then ex-wife and her lover.
Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, has condemned this incident, describing it as callous and heartless.
“While it will probably be of cold comfort to the family of the deceased six-year-old girl, the management of police in Gauteng is pleased with the quick thinking investigators who were able to swiftly connect the dots, identifying the perpetrator and locating the victim,” remarked Lt General Mawela, reaffirming the SAPS commitment to prioritize the investigation of cases of gender based violence and where children are victims.
The Provincial Commissioner has since instructed Rietgat police to ensure that the 22 year old mother and immediate family of the deceased little girl are provided with the necessary support as per the SAPS Victim Support Program.
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