MPHEPHU – The police at Mphephu have arrested a 55-year-old resident of Luvhalani for allegedly murdering and raping his 11-year-old daughter.

According to the police, the mother of the girl worked in Makhado town and only got back at home over weekends. The girl was staying with her father. When the mother arrived at home on Saturday, June 19, she realised that her daughter was not feeling well and that she was walking uncomfortably. Capt Mushavhanamadi of the SAPS in the Vhembe district stated that the girl was complaining about pain in her legs, but she did not reveal to her mother the possible cause of her discomfort.

The next day (Sunday, June 20), the mother took the girl to a traditional healer at Rabali, who allegedly examined her. The healer then realized that she had been sexually abused. He then told the mother to take her daughter to a doctor, who confirmed that she had been raped. It is alleged that the girl then stated that her father had raped her four times during her mother’s absence.

The victim was admitted for treatment at the Siloam Hospital and later transferred to the Polokwane Provincial Hospital, where she suddenly died on Wednesday (June 23).

A case of rape and murder was opened against the father and he appeared in court on Tuesday. The case was postponed to August 26 and the man is in custody.

According to Mushavhanamadi, the cause of the girl’s death will be established during a post mortem, to be conducted later this week.

The funeral of the girl will be carried out after the police have finished their investigations.