KHWEKHWE – A 30-year-old man, who resides at Khwekhwe Village, was at the time of going to the press recovering in the Tshilidzini Hospital. He was placed under police guard, after allegedly poisoning his three children and then himself. The incident took place at Khwekhwe village on Sunday night at about 22:15.

According to the police spokesperson in the Vhembe Area, Capt Ailwei Mushavhanamadi, the suspect and his wife were legally separated some months ago. The wife was granted custody of the children. It is alleged that on the day of the incident the man went to his former wife's kraal and fetched the children, saying he was going to buy them some clothes.

The police statement indicates that later in the night the man allegedly gave the children an unknown liquid substance to drink. He also drank the substance thereafter.

The police statement added that all the children fell seriously ill after taking the substance. They were all taken to the Tshilidzini Hospital. One of the children, a seven-year-old girl died in hospital. The two boys, aged four and ten, were reportedly still in a serious condition in the Intensive Care Unit at the time of going to the press. The suspect's condition was said to be stable.

Mushavhanamadi stated that the suspect will be charged with murder and attempted murder as soon as he is discharged from hospital.

In another incident, Mr Murendi Mabirimisa (35) of Luvhalani Village has briefly appeared in the Dzanani Magistrate's Court on Tuesday on a charge of attempted murder. This follows an incident that took place at Sendedza Village during the night of November 13, at about 20:00.

According to Capt Mushavhanamadi, the accused has proceeded to his girlfriend's kraal at Sendedza on the night of the incident. The deceased, Ndivhoniswani Mukangane (23) has allegedly locked herself inside the house when he arrived, but according to the police, Mabirimisa forced the door to open and got inside. He allegedly hit Miss Makungane with a three-feet pot on the head.

She was taken to Siloam Hospital from where she was later transferred to the Polokwane Provincial Hospital. Mabirimisa was arrested over the past weekend, after the police had received information from the concerned residents. He was then charged with attempted murder. He appeared in court on Tuesday and the case was postponed until today, Friday December 5.

The police received the information that the victim passed away in the Polokwane Provincial Hospital on Tuesday, the day Mabirimisa appeared in court. They then amended the charge from attempted murder to murder. Mabirimisa is in custody.