Pretoria - A 38-year-old man was arrested on Sunday for the alleged murder of a five-month-old boy at Extension 4 in Kgakala Township in Leeudoringstad.
North West provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani said the baby was fatally hit as the irate uncle tried to assault the baby’s mother with a spade during a heated argument on Saturday.
“According to reports, the 16-year-old mother of the five-month-old infant had an argument on Saturday, 5 November 2022, with her uncle. The uncle then went outside and came back with a spade and tried to assault the niece, but ended up hitting the five-month-old baby boy whom her mother was carrying on her back,” said Funani.
She said the baby was taken to a local clinic, where he was transported to Wolmaransstad Hospital and ultimately transferred to Tshepong Hospital, where he died due to head injuries.
“The suspect is expected to appear in the Leeudoringstad Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 9 November 2022, for murder,” said Funani.
Meanwhile, provincial police commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, has “condemned” the incident but applauded the police for their swift reaction that led to the arrest.
In September, a newborn baby was allegedly strangled and dumped at a house in Ga-Mashabela, in Limpopo.
At the time, Limpopo police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, said the body was discovered in the morning.
“According to the reports, members of this family woke up only to find the body of a newborn baby wrapped in a plastic bag on their doorstep. The police were immediately summoned, and upon arrival, they started with initial investigations.
“It is believed that the baby girl, who is about a day old, was strangled before she was put inside the bag. It was also found that the body was already at decomposition stage. The mother of the child has not yet been identified,” he said.
Police opened a case of murder, and the circumstances surrounding the incident will be determined through ongoing investigations.
IOL