A 14-year-old boy has been arrested after allegedly shooting and killing a 51-year-old domestic worker on a farm in Barberton, Mpumalanga, on Saturday morning.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 5.50am on November 14, when the woman was asleep in an outside room.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the teenager allegedly knocked on the door and shot the woman when she opened it.
The boy is reported to have informed police about the incident. Police officers and emergency medical services personnel responded to the scene, where the woman was certified dead.
The teenager was arrested on a charge of murder but was subsequently released into the custody of his parent in accordance with the Child Justice Act.
Police said the firearm allegedly used in the shooting was a shotgun believed to belong to the suspect’s uncle. The weapon has been seized and will form part of the investigation.
A separate case of negligent handling of a firearm has also been opened against the uncle, who is reportedly the owner of the weapon.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation, and police have not yet established a motive.
Mpumalanga provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise has warned firearm owners about their responsibility to secure their weapons in accordance with the law.
Modise said the matter would be thoroughly investigated and that police would work to ensure justice for the victim’s family.
- A 14-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a 51-year-old domestic worker on a farm in Barberton, Mpumalanga, on November 14 at about 5.50am.
- The woman was asleep in an outside room when the boy knocked on the door and shot her after she opened it.
- The boy informed police about the incident and was charged with murder but released into his parent's custody under the Child Justice Act.
- The shotgun used in the shooting is believed to belong to the suspect’s uncle, who faces a separate charge of negligent handling of a firearm.
- The circumstances and motive of the shooting are under investigation, and Mpumalanga police have emphasized the legal responsibility of firearm owners to secure their weapons.
A 14-year-old boy has been arrested after allegedly shooting and killing a 51-year-old domestic worker on a farm in Barberton, Mpumalanga, on Saturday morning.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 5.50am on November 14, when the woman was asleep in an outside room.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the teenager allegedly knocked on the door and shot the woman when she opened it.
The boy is reported to have informed police about the incident. Police officers and emergency medical services personnel responded to the scene, where the woman was certified dead.
The teenager was arrested on a charge of murder but was subsequently released into the custody of his parent in accordance with the Child Justice Act.
Police said the firearm allegedly used in the shooting was a shotgun believed to belong to the suspect’s uncle. The weapon has been seized and will form part of the investigation.
A separate case of negligent handling of a firearm has also been opened against the uncle, who is reportedly the owner of the weapon.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation, and police have not yet established a motive.
Mpumalanga provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise has warned firearm owners about their responsibility to secure their weapons in accordance with the law.
Modise said the matter would be thoroughly investigated and that police would work to ensure justice for the victim’s family.
