Lucky Thabiso Akompe has been remanded back to his prison cell for the Christmas murder of his girlfriend.
The 29-year-old Akompe appeared in the Madikwe magistrate’s court in North West on Thursday to answer to a charge of murder.
The case was postponed to January 4 to allow Akompe to consult with his legal representative.
Police spokesperson Captain Sam Tselanyane said the accused’s court appearance stemmed from his arrest on Monday following an incident where he allegedly slit the throat of 20-year-old Lerato Francina Kuate, his girlfriend.
Blood-stained clothes retrieved
Tselanyane explained: “The incident happened at Goedehoop village near Madikwe during the early hours of Monday morning, December 25 2023.
“It is alleged that the police were called to the scene after the deceased’s body was found in a shack belonging to the accused’s relative.
“Upon arrival at the scene, police were shown the deceased’s body, which was laying in a pool of blood. Emergency medical rescue services were summoned and Kuate was certified dead at the scene.”
Preliminary investigations led police to a house where the suspect was residing, but he was not there when police pounced.
Inside the house, police retrieved blood-stained clothes that the accused was seen wearing the previous day. The clothes were hidden under the bed.
A search for the suspect was immediately intensified and later in the afternoon, Akompe handed himself over to police in Mabeskraal, where he was detained.
North West police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena, condemned the murder, describing it as a barbaric act of criminality against a defenceless woman.
Kwena conveyed his condolences to the deceased family and said police will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is served.
Further investigations on the murder are under way.
Quarterly crime statistics
According to quarterly crime statistics released in May by Police Minister Bheki Cele, at least 70 murders are committed in South Africa every day.
The statistics covered the first three months of the year.
The police minister announced at the time that more than 6 200 people were killed between January and March 2023.
According to the statistics, the figure translates to a 3.4% increase compared with the same period in 2022 when 6 083 people had their lives snuffed out.
However, the figure was lower compared to the last three months of 2022.
The overwhelming majority of the victims were adult men, with 969 women and 245 children murdered, said the minister.
The murders of women showed an increase of 71 compared with the same period in 2022, while there was a decrease of 19.6% child murders.
