22 Jun 2017

Police in Letlhakeng are investigating an incident in which a 31-year-old man of that village strangled to death his girlfriend of less than a week. 

Speaking in an interview, Letlhakeng Police Station Commander, Superintendent Daniel Katse said the two met through Facebook, and that they had been hardly a week into the relationship when misunderstandings started.

He said on Sunday the man reported to the police that the woman was refusing with the keys to his house, and that the police managed to settle the dispute, but that on Tuesday when the man was on his lunch break, the woman went to his house where the dispute allegedly resurfaced and a fight broke out.

Supt Katse said it was in the midst of that that the man strangled the woman, and then handed himself over to the police around 5:30 pm the same day. 

He said they rushed to the scene of the incident and rushed the woman to the clinic where she was certified dead.

He said the body of the 28-year-old woman, who was also from Letlhakeng, was still awaiting autopsy while the man was in custody as investigations continued.

He is expected to appear for mention at the Molepolole Magistrates Court. Supt Katse advised that couples should engage relatives for assistance when they had misunderstandings, and that if relatives failed to assist, the police were available to help. 

He said if one partner in a relationship harassed the other, there were legal measures that could be taken by the police.

He said it was painful that a love affair as new as a week could end in such a way. BOPA