Police in the Eastern Cape have arrested a 43 year old man, who is the child’s uncle,for the alleged murder of his niece on Saturday.
Priscilla Naidu, police spokesperson said police were alerted and led to the scene by the suspect, who reported an assault at his house in Pendu Street, Kwanonqubela.
According to Naidu, 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 recovered 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.
Naidu said that it was alleged that the child’s mother had dropped off Siphenathi at about 2pm on Friday at her father’s house in the same area. The father then left the child at the neighbour’s house. They suspect that she was murdered with a spade which was later recovered in a neighbour’s yard. Suspicions are the child may have also been raped.
Naidu also mentioned that a post-mortem will be conducted to verify suspicion.
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.
