CASE AGAINST MEN LINKED TO FIVE DEATHS AT AN INITIATION SCHOOL POSTPONED FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS
The Lehurutshe Magistrates’ Court postponed the case against Obakeng Segwabe (19), and Olebogeng Mafora (21), to 18 March 2024, for further investigations. The two are currently in police custody after they abandoned their bail application. They are facing five counts of murder, two of violation of corpses and one of defeating the ends of justice.
Police reports revealed that the two were initially arrested for the alleged murder of two people after human bones were found in plastic in the bushes near Mosweu village. After further investigation and linkages to three decomposed bodies that were discovered between December 2023 and January 2024, and that the deceased were part of the boys that were at the initiation school, three additional charges of murder were added. The deceased were allegedly starved, and beaten to death and subsequently their bodies were burnt.
Police investigations, including the identification of the bodies through DNA, are underway, hence the non-disclosure of the deceased names. Further investigations also led to the arrest of Koketso Mmutlane (19), for defeating the ends of justice. He allegedly influenced Segabe and Mafora, to lie about the legality of the initiation school and its activities including the deaths. He is expected to appear before court on 09 February 2024, after being released on a warning.