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A 51-year-old suspect was arrested after a body of a 15-year-old girl was discovered brutally murdered in the Khalavha plantation area of Siloam, Vhembe District in Limpopo.
Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the victim was reported missing on November 11, and was found the next day.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim was last seen driving with the suspect on Monday, 11 November 2024, and she never returned home,” said Ledwaba.
“The search operation was immediately activated however, the missing girl was not found. The next day, Tuesday, 12 November 2024, her naked body was found in the Khalavha plantation with injuries on her upper body that suggested she had been raped,” explained Ledwaba.
Ledwaba added that emergency medical services personnel were called to the scene and they declared her dead on their arrival.
“Police opened a case of murder. More charges may be added pending outcome of the investigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has strongly condemned the incident and urged parents to be vigilant and do whatever they can to protect their children.
The suspect is due to appear before Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.