A 21-year-old alleged killer is scheduled to appear in the Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court on Thursday facing charges of murder.
The 21-year-old man allegedly stabbed a 19-year-old boy on Monday, at around 2am at a tavern in Dirkiesdorp, according to Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Captain Magonseni Nkosi.
“Police and emergency medical services responded to the matter. Upon arrival, the victim was found lying on the ground with stab wounds on his upper body. He was certified dead by emergency medical services,” said Nkosi.
A case of murder was then opened at Dirkiesdorp police station.
“Police traced the suspect, and he was arrested on Tuesday, February 27, and charged with murder,” said Nkosi.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has “strongly” condemned the incident.
Manamela has commended police officers for the “quick investigation” which led to the arrest of the alleged killer.
Last year, police in Mpumalanga launched a manhunt for three assailants who shot seven people at a tavern in Dundonald outside Mayflower.
At the time, police said three assailants entered a tavern at around 4am in August and pointed firearms at the patrons.
Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the assailants then started robbing the patrons in the tavern.
“They tried to access cash from the bartender but failed. They robbed the DJ (disc jockey) of his equipment. Before they left the scene, they shot randomly whereby seven people were shot at,” Mohlala said at the time.
Earlier this month, IOL reported that Police Minister Bheki Cele has expressed concern about the spike in the murder rate in the country, with 7,710 people murdered between October and December last year.
Cele said this was an increase of 2.1% compared to the same period last year.
He said authorities were concerned about the rise in the murder rate in the country. There were 7,710 people killed in the third quarter of last year, which is 155 more people compared to the same period the previous year.
IOL