Mpumalanga man arrested for murder of woman over goat sale

A 41-year-old Mpumalanga man has been arrested for allegedly murdering a 46-year-old woman and burying her body in a shallow grave in Dirkiesdorp near Piet Retief.

The man, who allegedly bought a goat belonging to the deceased from a herdsman, faces charges of murder, robbery and defeating the ends of justice.

Deceased never returned home

South African Police Service (Saps) regional spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane said the woman left her home at 6am on 3 May with the intention of confronting the suspect after she had questioned the herdsman about her missing goat the previous day.

The women never returned home.

Her family reported her missing on 4 May, and police investigations led them to the suspect’s home.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect encountered the victim before she reached his home. He allegedly murdered her and buried her in a shallow grave,” Ndubane said.

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Suspect texts deceased’s family

“The suspect then used the victim’s cellphone to send misleading messages to her family, claiming she had received R2 000 and was going to Swaziland after discovering he had slaughtered the goat,” Ndubane added.

He later destroyed the victim’s cellphone by burning it.

The suspect, who was arrested on Wednesday, pointed out the location of the shallow grave where the victim’s body was recovered.

Additional charges may follow as the investigation continues, Ndubane said.

She said the herdsman, who sold him the goat, was also arrested but later released without charges.

‘Shock and disappointment’

“The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Saps in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, expressed his shock and disappointment over the suspect’s actions, especially as the country continues to face a crisis of gender-based violence against women and children,” Ndubane said.

The suspect was due to appear in the Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court today, but police have not yet given an update on the outcome of the sitting.

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