Mpumalanga officials to visit Vaalbank after three ‘stoned’ for girl’s murder

Acting Mpumalanga community safety, security and liaison MEC Speedy Mashilo will on Monday morning visit the family of an eight-year-old girl whose body was found inside a pit toilet over the weekend.

On Saturday 53-year-old Zele Papo Machika, his girlfriend Pauline Maubane, 51, and her son Thabo Maubane, 32, were allegedly stoned to death in Senotlelo, Vaalbank, after Nomsa Sambo’s body was allegedly found at the man’s home.

According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala, Sambo was reported missing on February 12, 2023 by her family at the Vaalbank police station.

“Information emerged about a man who was allegedly seen carrying Nomsa to his house. Police responded to the information and on February 13 they took him in for questioning.

“A kidnapping case was opened but the man denied all the allegations. There was insufficient evidence to charge him so he was released.”

All four were from the same community and were neighbours, according to Mohlala.

In the early hours on Saturday, police received information about Sambo’s body being found at Machika’s home..

“On arrival they found the bodies of two males and one female in a street. The bodies had serious injuries which suggest they could have been stoned. Police also discovered a Ford Bantam and VW Jetta 4 were burnt to ashes. The child was retrieved from the pit toilet and was certified dead.”

The torched vehicles belonged to Thabo Maubane.

Mohlala confirmed the kidnapping charge has been changed to murder, and three counts of murder are being investigated in connection with the the adults’ deaths.

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