Woman found raped and murdered
The deceased, identified by her family as Ms Khonzi Sengwane, was found naked in a metal bathtub full of water on December 5 by her neighbour, a 51-year-old Ms Miriam Mwenda at about 07:00 who then alerted members of the community.
MSHOLOZI – While the country celebrated 16 Days of Activism of No Violence
Against Women and Children, and currently mourning the death of the former
president, Dr Nelson Mandela, a 40-year-old woman was raped and brutally
murdered at the notorious Section D in Msholozi.
The deceased, identified by her family as Ms Khonzi Sengwane, was found naked in a metal bathtub full of water on December 5 by her neighbour, a 51-year-old Ms Miriam Mwenda about 07:00 who then alerted members of the community.
“I got the shock of my life when I opened the door of my shack and discovered a dead woman with a hat on her head. I called the community for help. Someone identified her as my neighbour,” said the shocked Mwenda, who had spent the previous night with her sister due to feeling unwell.
“Does it mean that if I was home, the murderer would have killed me too?” she asked.
Mwenda described the victim as a good person who always greeted her.
White River SAPS, pathologists and EMS officials were called to the scene. An axe and blood stains were found in the deceased’s shack about 30 metres from the body.
Members of the community alleged that footprints from the scene led to another shack adjacent to the victim’s home where they apparently found burnt clothes allegedly belonging to the suspect.
WO Gugu Phiri, spokesperson for White River police, confirmed the incident and applauded the work done by her colleagues from the station who promptly arrested the suspect, Mr Collen Hlungwane (29), on the same day in the town.
He appeared in the White River Magistrate’s Court on December 6 and was remanded in custody.
The case was postponed for further investigation to January 20. It was also heard that Hlungwane was out on parole after serving three years of a seven-year sentence for attempted murder.
“Post-mortem results revealed that the victim died of head injuries,” said Phiri.
The victim’s family thanked the White River police for the prompt arrest of the suspect. Mr Lazarus Sengwane said his sister would be buried over the weekend at their parental home eMa50 e Game.
