Limpopo man arrested for rape allegedly killed by fellow inmates

Police in Letsitele outside Tzaneen in Limpopo have opened a case of murder after a 40-year-old inmate was found dead in his cell on Tuesday 30 June 2020 at about 4:50. It is alleged that the prisoner was murdered by fellow inmates. The man was accused of attempted murder, rape and assault.

The inmate was allegedly murdered roughly three hours after being arrested. 

INMATE FOUND MURDERED IN POLICE CELL   

Police found the “badly injured” inmate in one of the cells and called the emergency personnel who then certified him dead on arrival. He has been identified as Chikinyongo Madala Masinge.

“The deceased, was highly wanted on charges of attempted murder, rape and assault GBH that he allegedly committed around Nwamitwa and other areas under Letsitele policing precinct, was brought to the Letsitele police cells and detained after his arrest at about 1:45 this morning,” said Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo. 

“Some of his alleged gruesome deeds included the rape of a woman who was fetching firewood together with her companion and then chopped her hand with a sharp instrument,” he added.

Mojapelo said the incident nearly sparked violence when community members wanted him arrested. He was eventually captured at Burgersdorp outside Tzaneen where he was hiding.

Police investigations into the circumstances of his killing are continuing.

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Masinge, the inmate who was accused of rape, was most certainly not the only man to be accused of acts of violence against women. 

The month of June saw a horrific and tragic influx of gender-based violence incidents. President Cyril Ramaphosa said the men of South Africa declared a war on our women. 

After spine-chilling and gruesome discoveries, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, announced that a National Council for Gender-Based Violence and Femicide would be established. 

According to the minister, the national council will be an independent and non-partisan advisory body and will provide strategic leadership in implementing the NSP, facilitate resourcing, coordination and accountability in responding to Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. 

“The NSP is government and civil society’s multi-sectoral strategic framework to realise a South Africa free from gender-based violence and femicide,” she said. 

“Government will do everything possible to ensure justice is served and calls upon men in our society to stand up against Gender-Based Violence. Violence against women and children is unacceptable and we should not allow vile tendencies to continue during such a difficult time for the country, or ever,” said Nkoana-Mashabane.