Potchefstroom – A 40-year-old man is expected to appear in the Mogwase Magistrate's Court, north of Rustenburg, on Monday in connection with the murder of a young schoolteacher, Khumontle Mokgosi, this past week.
Apart from murder, the suspect would also face additional charges of theft and possession of suspected stolen goods, spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said in a statement on Saturday.
"The long arm of the law caught up with the suspect on Friday, 3 July 2020 at Goo-Mokgatle section in Dinokana village outside Zeerust," Mokgwabone said.
The man was arrested during a crime intelligence-driven operation carried out by a multi-disciplinary team comprising of the SAPS Bojanala district and Zeerust task teams as well as provincial traffic officers.
During the arrest, the suspect was found in possession of the murdered woman's bank card as well as "recently bought goods such as clothes, car battery, and liquor".
The preliminary investigation had revealed that Mokgosi’s bank card had been used to withdraw cash from ATMs in Northam and Zeerust. The officers also recovered Mokgosi’s two cellphones, Mokgwabone said.
"Mokgosi's lifeless body was found on Monday, 29 June 2020 at her rented place in Magong village near Mogwase by neighbours and members of the school governing body (SGB) who conducted a search after the young teacher failed to report for duty.
"It is suspected that the deceased, whose body was found with [her] hands and feet tied, died due to strangulation. Thus, a case of murder was opened for investigation," Mokgwabone said.
North West police commissioner Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena applauded the police team for working tirelessly to make certain that the alleged perpetrator was brought to book to face the full might of the law.
The arrest would serve as a warning to those who committed crime, "including gender-based violence, that no stone will be left unturned in ensuring that they account for their wicked deeds", he said.