Suspect appears in court for 10-year-old’s murder

A 38-year-old man appeared before the Potchefstroom Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 10 November, on a charge of murder.

Protesters gathered in front of the court, opposing Joseph ‘Jozi’ Phage’s bail application. They came from various community organisations – Peri-Peri, Ikageng Men’s Conference, Action for Social Justice, Banna Ba Kae, SOSTOA, the local scholar transport, Methodist Women’s Manyana and the ANC Women’s League.

After yesterday’s (10 November) appearance, the case was postponed to 15 December 2021. The suspect remains in custody.
Phage’s court appearance stems from his arrest on Monday, 8 November, following an incident where 10-year-old Kamogelo Sithole’s body was found in his shack in Ikageng’s Sonderwater informal settlement.

It is alleged that the suspect was supposedly appearing in court on a charge of attempted murder on Thursday, 4 November. ) His former girlfriend was the complainant in the alleged incident that was reported in June 2021. The suspect left the court without appearing and, as a result, a warrant for his arrest was issued.

Upon leaving the court, the suspect allegedly proceeded to his ex-girlfriend’s daughter’s (Kamogelo) school and kidnapped the child. This was the last time the girl was seen alive.
When the child did not return home after school, the mother reported a case of kidnapping at Ikageng police. A search for the girl and the suspect ensued.

At about 14:00 on Sunday, 7 November, the suspect was traced to Zakhkele informal settlement in Ikageng. He was immediately arrested, but could not give the police a full account of what had happened to the girl. On Monday, the police proceeded to the suspect’s shack. Upon conducting a search at about 09:45, Kamogelo’s lifeless body was found, hidden under the bed. She is believed to have been strangled. The possibility that she may have been raped cannot be ruled out and is under investigation.

The provincial commissioner in North West, Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena, has condemned this act of criminality in the strongest possible terms. He reiterated that the police would do everything in their power to ensure that the suspect is held accountable and pay for the heinous crime in prison.