LIMPOPO – A BOLOBEDU police official was shot dead as he sat in his private vehicle in Bolobedu outside Modjadjiskloof on Sunday night.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Col Ronél Otto said WO Godfrey Manhtlake, who was attached to the Bolobedu police station, was shot dead in Ga-Matipane village.
“He was in his private vehicle in the company of his girlfriend when the incident took place. He was shot three times in the head and chest and died on the spot. A villager who was at the scene during the incident said the suspects waited until the woman left the car and attacked Manhtlake.
A villager who did not wish to be identified said Manhtlake was a kind man who would not hurt a fly. “During the day he was with us at the local drinking place where he used to frequent. He bought some of the guys some beers out of generosity. Little did he know that that his hours of living were numbered,” the villager related.
Otto said no arrest had been made and the murder was being investigated. “We are currently speaking to local people and we believe we will put the suspect behind bars in no time. We request anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the suspects to come forward and help with investigations,” she said.
The incident took place barely two weeks after another police official was stabbed to death at Thohoyandou Plaza in Venda. Maj Mashudu Malelo from the Thohoyandou police identified the police official as Const Malesela Stanley Mokonyane from the Modimolle police station.
“Mokonyane was deployed to the unrest in Malamulele and he was at the plaza to do some shopping. He was later attacked by two men who wanted to rob him of his valuables. When he resisted them, they produced a knife and stabbed him to death,” Malelo said.
Malelo added that the suspects were investigated, arrested and charged with murder.
The suspects appeared before the Thohoyandou magistrate’s court on Friday facing a charge of murder and the case was remanded to March 26.
