Suspect to appear in court for murder of young school teacher

A 40-year-old suspect is expected to appear in the Mogwase Magistrates’ Court in North West province on Monday, 6 July for the alleged murder of 25-year-old teacher Khumontle Mokgosi.

Her body was found on Monday, 29 June at her rented accommodation in Magong village near Mogwase. She was found with hands and feet tied and had apparently died due to strangulation.

Police task teams and provincial traffic make arrest

The male suspect was taken into custody on Friday at Goo-Mokgatle Section in Dinokana village outside Zeerust.

“He was arrested during a crime intelligence-driven operation by a multi-disciplinary team comprising of Bojanala District and Zeerust Task Teams, as well as Provincial Traffic,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.

“During the arrest, the suspect was found in possession of the deceased’s bank card as well as recently bought goods such as clothes, [a] car battery and liquor. Preliminary investigation revealed that Mokgosi’s bank card was used to withdraw cash from ATMs in Northam and Zeerust. Furthermore, the team managed to recover [the victim’s] two cell phones.”

Search after teacher failed to report for duty that day

According to police, Mokgosi’s body was found by neighbours and members of the School Governing Body where she taught. They were conducting a search after the young teacher failed to report for duty.

Her death comes amidst ongoing concern around gender-based violence in South Africa.

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that gender-based violence in South Africa should be considered as a second pandemic in the country – as serious as the coronavirus.

“As a country, we find ourselves in the midst of not one, but two, devastating epidemics. Although very different in their nature and cause, they can both be overcome – if we work together, if we each take personal responsibility for our actions and if we each take care of each other,” he said during an address to the nation.