Pretoria - Police in Limpopo have arrested a 29-year-old man who has allegedly been on the run since the horrendous incident in which a house was set on fire with six family members - two mothers and their four children sleeping inside.
The six people who were inside the house sustained injuries, and two have died from the injuries sustained in the ordeal. The arson incident happened in the wee hours of Sunday last week.
“The suspect was arrested at Magona village near Kruger National Park on Friday. He is expected to appear before Malamulele Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of two counts of murder, as well as for four counts of attempted murder,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.
“Two people have to date, since the horrific incident over the weekend succumbed to the injuries. They are a 23-year-old woman as well as a three-year-old child.
“The three-year-old Vunene Ngobeni was the first to die hours after the incident. The 23-year-old Nhlayiseko Precious Mabasa followed on Tuesday,” said Ledwaba.
The remaining four, of the six family members who were in the house, are still in hospital “in serious condition”.
On Tuesday, IOL reported that police at Malamulele had launched a manhunt for a “heartless suspect” who doused the house with a highly flammable substance, believed to be petrol and set it alight while six people were sleeping inside.
“A 29-year-old man had on Saturday, 10 December 2022, during the day, reportedly visited his ex-girlfriend aged 23, who was at home with her two children aged two months and 2 years, her cousin and her two children aged six days and 3 years,” Ledwaba said at the time.
During the visit, a heated altercation broke out between the 29-year-old man and his ex-girlfriend. The man reportedly left after the incident, on Saturday.
“In the early hours of the following morning, at about 1am, an unknown suspect broke the window and sprinkled a flammable liquid substance believed to be petrol inside the house through the window and then set the house on fire,” Ledwaba said.
The assailant then fled the scene, leaving the house occupants trapped in the burning house.
The victims screamed for help and they were eventually rescued by community members.
“Police and emergency rescue services were summoned and the victims were transported to hospital in a critical condition. Police then opened a case of arson and six counts of attempted murder,” Ledwaba narrated.
IOL