POLOKWANE – The family of a 20-year-old Zimbabwean man who was killed in a park in Westenburg recently, says the police are dragging their feet in investigating his murder.
Regent Nare had only been in Westenburg for two weeks visiting his uncle, when he was killed on May 31.
His uncle, Wisdom Dube, said Regent and a friend were walking home on the day he was killed. “A woman stopped him along the road and started shouting at him. I was told that the woman had a fight with another guy earlier that day and mistakenly identified Regent as the person who she had the argument with. She called her brother to kill Regent, and when the brother came, he hit Regent with a rock on the head,” Dube alleged.
The friend who was with Regent apparently called Dube and they called for an ambulance, as well as the police for assistance.
“We waited about 30 minutes, but no one came, and we arranged for transport to take Regent to hospital. When we got there, it was too late and he was certified dead. The police were called to the hospital just before 19:00 and they only arrived at about 23:00. The police did not take any statements from witnesses and the suspect was never arrested, because he ran away after killing Regent. The suspect’s sister was also not arrested. She is the reason for Regent’s murder,” Dube said.
Because Dube did not receive a case number or receive any feedback from the investigating officer regarding the case almost a month after the incident, he reported the matter to the Westenburg police station commander, Col Lukas Tlhako for assistance on June 26.
“The station commander asked me to come back the following day as he would arrange for the investigating officer to also be there. During our meeting on June 27, the station commander said the investigating officer must contact me once a week with an update on the case, but this never happened. It is almost two months later and still no statements were taken from witnesses.
“I have to face the woman who caused my nephew’s death daily, and it hurts. She knows the whereabouts of her brother but refuses to tell us where he is. Our police and justice system are failing me and my family because nothing is being done regarding Regent’s murder case,” Dube said.
Capt Mohlaka Mashiane, Westenburg police spokesperson, confirmed that the police were investigating a murder case.
“The allegations are not true, the investigating officer is in regular contact with the complainant. We are working together in finding the suspect who is still at large and a case number was issued to the person who reported the matter to the police,” Mashiane explained.
