Two suspects arrested for murder of Eden Park girl, due in court

The nine-year-old girl had been sent to the local tuckshop by her mother, where she would be brutally murdered. Police have reminded South Africans that there is no waiting period to report a missing person and further condemned mob justice

Two men are have been handcuffed for the killing of a nine-year-old girl in Eden Park, Johannesburg and are expected to make an appearance in the Palm Ridge Magistrate Court on Thursday, 12 November 2020.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the province, the girl had been missing since the morning of Tuesday, 10 November 2020 – and the suspects, aged 16 and 36 in Tsietsi Phase 6, were arrested just hours later.

The child had been sent to a nearby tuckshop and hadn’t been seen since.

“The child was however, only reported missing at Eden Park SAPS around 14:00 and police immediately activated a multi-disciplinary search party and together with some community members, started searching for the child,” said SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters.

It was only after they got to the tuckshop, that a gruesome discovery would soon be made.

“At the tuckshop where the child had gone, the 16-year-old suspect who assists there could not provide satisfactory answers on being questioned about the whereabouts of the missing child and this, is when the search was extended to his room where the body of the nine-year-old girl was found with a stab wound to the upper body, wrapped in plastic”

SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters

Charges of murder, kidnapping

Police said the tuckshop owner and the teenager were subsequently both arrested and it was found that the latter suspect was in possession of a fraudulent RSA identity document (ID).

It has been learnt that the wife of the 36-year-old suspect was then assaulted by members of the community, who were outraged by the vicious murder. Police were able to rescue the woman who was then transported to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

The woman will also be appearing in court, in absentia. The three have been charged with kidnapping, murder, and contravention of the Immigration Act.

In light of the tragedy, police have further reminded people that there is no waiting period to report a missing person.

“The SAPS commits to giving priority attention to cases where women, children and other vulnerable persons are victims,” Peters further said.