Cape Town: Police in the Eastern Cape have arrested a 43-year-old man for the alleged murder of his 5-year-old niece on Saturday.
Police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu said police were alerted to the scene by the suspect, who is the child’s uncle, who reported an assault at his house in Pendu Street in Kwanonqubela.
Naidu said when detectives arrived, they discovered the brutally battered body of a 5-year-old girl lying on the lounge floor.
It is suspected that she was murdered with a spade which was later found in a neighbour’s yard.
“It is alleged that at about 5:40am, police were alerted by the suspect (the child’s uncle) of a person being assaulted at his house. On arrival, detectives found the brutally battered body of a 5-year-old girl lying on the lounge floor.
“The suspect was very drunk and incoherent to give an account of what had happened.
“The victim, Siphenathi Xhali sustained multiple wounds on her body,” Naidu said.
It is believed the child was taken by the uncle during the early hours of Saturday morning from the neighbour’s house.
“It is alleged that the child’s mother had dropped her off at about 2pm on Friday at her father’s house in the same area. The father, in turn, left the child at the neighbour’s house. It is suspected that she was murdered with a spade which was later found in a neighbour’s yard. It is also suspected that the child may have been raped. A post-mortem will be conducted to verify such suspicion,” said Naidu.
The 43-year-old suspect is detained on a charge of murder and is expected to appear in the Kenton-On-Sea Magistrate’s Court.
Pending the results of the post-mortem report, an additional charge of rape may be added, police said.
Cape Times