Rustenburg – A 25-year-old man arrested in connection with the murder of an elderly woman and her granddaughter appeared in the Sannieshof Periodical Court on Thursday, North West police said.
Spokesperson Captain Sam Tselanyane said the case against Phomolo Molete was postponed to February 11. He is facing two counts of murder and robbery.
In another related case, a 35-year-old Obakeng Rantsima also appeared before the Sannieshof Periodical Court on Thursday for possession of suspected stolen property. His court appearance stems from his arrest in the early hours of Thursday, after the accused allegedly used the stolen SIM card of the 61-year-old deceased to make calls to friends.
"Both the accused remain in custody and their bail application hearing will be on Friday, 11 February 2022 at Delareyville Magistrate's Court," Captain Tselanyane said.
Molete was arrested in connection with the murder of a 61-year-old retired teacher, Mmatiro Dithato,and her five-year-old granddaughter.
Dithato was found dead at New Stands Section in Ganalaagte near Delareyville. She was stabbed several times and her granddaughter was drown in a bucket of water.
"It is alleged that on Saturday, 29 January 2022 at about 6.36am, Mmatiro Clementine Dithato, 61, had a telephone conversation with her 21-year-old son. The deceased allegedly told her son not to come home anymore as they were supposed to go to town that morning and they were not going anymore," Tselanyane said.
"A few moments thereafter, the son allegedly received a text message from his mother’s phone informing him that he can come and collect money at about 9am. At about 9.22am, the son went to his mom’s house only to find that the sitting room’s window pane was broken.
“Upon entering the house, he allegedly found his mother’s lifeless body with a multiple stab wounds and a rope around her neck lying in a pool of blood in the sitting room’s floor. Furthermore, the five-year-old girl’s body was found drowned head first in a big bucket full of water in the kitchen."
The son called for help and the deceased were transported to a local clinic where they were both declared dead on arrival.
IOL