Orange Farm double murder: Suspect to appear in court

A woman is expected to appear before the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, October 1, 2020, in connection with the murders of two children, aged six and eight, in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg.

The children, Mpho Makondo and Simphiwe Mncina, were best of friends whose bodies were discovered on early on Saturday, 19 September 2020, just hours after they had been reported missing. They were coming back home from a nearby salon.

The children were laid to rest on Saturday, 26 September 2020.

“The investigation on Friday 25 September 2020 led police to Soweto where the woman was found and arrested on suspicion of being involved in the murder of the boy and the girl,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said.

The 29-year-old woman had initially been set to appear on Monday 28 September 2020, however the matter had to be postponed as the suspect was rushed to hospital for an unspecified ailment.

Suspect arrested for killing another child

However the suspect is not new to law enforcement, having been nabbed for allegedly killing another child just months earlier. In the previous incident, she was arrested together with her partner but charges against the man were withdrawn.

“Police can at this point confirm that this is the same suspect who was arrested in April 2020 for the murder of another child, a seven-year old boy who was her neighbour, after the child’s body was found in her house. The boy had been reported missing earlier in the day on 15 April 2020, and the search led to the woman’s house where the child’s body was found.”

The murder case has been temporarily withdrawn in court pending the outcome of the toxicology report.

It has been established that the woman was released from custody on 16 September 2020, three days before the murder of the two children. However Peters said they would continue building a case against her.

“The investigation is still underway while police continue to work hard to build a solid case in support of the preliminary evidence gathered thus far,” she said.

“Police remain committed to prioritising the investigation of crimes committed against children, women and other vulnerable persons”