07 Sep 2018

 Mahalapye Police have expressed  concern about the increasing cases of murder and stocktheft in their policing area.

Officer Commanding for District 16, Senior Superintendent Modisaotsile Bonang raised the concerns in an interview with BOPA after the police recorded two murder cases in Mahalapye on September 2. 

Senior Superintendent Bonang said on September 2, Mahalapye police received a report of a fight between brothers aged 25 and 27 at Dilaene ward.

It is alleged that in the heat of the squabble, the younger brother hit the elder brother with a rake on the head, and the elder brother allegedly retaliated by stabbing his sibling with a sharp object. 

He said the younger brother was later certified dead at Mahalapye Hospital, while the elder brother is currently in police custody to help with investigations.

Still on September 2, Senior Superintendent Bonang said the police received a suspected murder case report from Boseja ward, where a middle aged man was allegedly stabbed with a sharp object. 

He said the deceased was spotted in the morning lying in a pool of blood by one of the residents of Boseja ward who reported the matter to the police.

He said a 25-year-old man was in police custody to assist them with investigations.

Meanwhile, the police chief has advised alcohol dealers in Mahalapye to operate within stipulated times, saying prolonged hours of selling alcohol may also be  contributing to the murder cases. 

He also urged the community to refrain from any activity that may lead them to be involved in criminal acts or squabbles.

Mr Bonang said stock theft cases were also on the increase, adding that due to the alarming cases of stocktheft, they had  embarked on an extensive operation called ‘Kgola Disana’, which he said was bearing fruit  as they managed to nab some suspects. 

He said one of the cases was reported on September 3 involving a suspected stolen goat, adding that two suspects aged 25 and 29 of Mahalapye, were arrested in possession of a skin and meat suspected to be of the stolen goat.

He appealed to members of the community to continue playing their part by providing evidence to the police, adding that some criminal acts were successfully investigated with the support of the community.

Mr Bonang also expressed concern about farmers who hardly visit their cattle posts, giving criminals room to engage in criminal acts and even destroy evidence. 

He said it was unfortunate that some farmers failed to identify their livestock, making it difficult for the police to investigate cases successfully. 

He said some of the farmers ended up losing their livestock to criminals due to lack of evidence proving that they were the rightful owners of the livestock in question. 

Mr Bonang further appealed to all stakeholders in the livestock sector to join hands with the police in fighting stock theft.  Ends