MAKAPANSTAD police in the North West have arrested seven people for the alleged murder of Solomon Mmopane.
The seven, aged between 20 and 36, were bust between Monday, 19 and Saturday, 24 February, in connection with the 32-year-old Solomon's killing.
Police spokeswoman Lieutenant-Colonel Amanda Funani said the suspects’ arrest came after a missing persons report was made at Makapanstad Police Station on Sunday, 18 February.
“According to information received, the victim and his friend were seen drinking at a certain tavern in Maubane on Saturday night, 17 February 2024, and the suspects were also enjoying themselves in the same tavern when they had a quarrel,” she said.
It’s alleged that Solomon left the tavern, driving in a black Volkswagen Golf, and the men were seen assaulting his friend and left with him.
Funani said Solomon's friend was assaulted by the suspects and put inside the boot of the car that they were driving, but he managed to escape.
She said that on Sunday, 18 February, in the morning, the friend went to check on Solomon and didn’t find him at his home, and he went to open a docket of a missing person.
“Police and members of the community searched for the missing person, without any success, but the black VW Golf that he was driving was discovered burnt in the bushes,” she said.
She said on Monday, 19 February, one suspect was traced and arrested by the police, and he appeared in court on Wednesday, 20 February.
On Wednesday, two more suspects were arrested, and on Friday, 23 February, three more suspects were arrested, and the missing person docket was changed to murder.
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“The victim’s decomposed body was found buried in a shallow grave on top of another grave in the cemetery. The seventh suspect handed himself to the police on Saturday, 24 February 2024,” said Funani.
She said more charges, such as two counts of kidnapping, malicious damage to property, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH), defeating the ends of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm, carjacking and violation of a grave, were added.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Themba Magistrates Court on Monday, 26 February.
North West police commissioner Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena condemned the incident and asked community members to solve their differences in an amicable manner instead of resorting to violence.
“I applauded the community for assisting the police in searching for the victim,” said Kwena.
