Two men have been arrested after the body of 5-year-old Ofente Pupedi was found in Gauteng.
- Two men have been arrested after the body of 5-year-old Ofente Pupedi was found.
- Moses Bokaba and Joseph Puseletso appeared in court on charges of murder and kidnapping.
- Police said they are looking into making more arrests.
Two men have been arrested and charged with kidnapping and murder after the dismembered body of a 5-year-old boy named Thembis was found in an open field in Centurion on Sunday afternoon.
Moses Bokaba, 35, and Joseph Puseletso, 52, were handed in by residents to Ivory Park Police Station on Tuesday when Ofentse Pupedi was reported missing.
Bokaba is a neighbor of Afente’s parents in Tembisa.
Gauteng Police Spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said:
The two suspects were apprehended by members of the community and brought to the police on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, after the boy went missing the same day in Tswelopele section, Ivory Park.
He said the suspects were questioned by the Domestic Violence, Child Protection and Sex Offenses Unit and that they revealed where Offenza’s body was dumped.
“Further questioning of the suspects and a thorough investigation by members of the Domestic Violence, Child Protection and Sex Offenses Unit led to the suspects identifying where the child’s body had been dumped. The police discovered the body on Sunday, some of the bodies are missing,” said Masondo.
Bokaba and Puseletso are accused of murder and kidnapping. Other suspects may still be connected to the case.
Ofentse Lehlahonala Poapedi’s uncle said his sister was feeling unwell after the tragic news about her son.
“She’s very selective about who she talks to because it doesn’t satisfy her. It’s also difficult for us to explain it to our younger cousins because they still ask if we found Ofente,” he said.
According to Pupedi, Bokaba was one of their neighbors and gained the trust of the family and Offenta.
“When the community confronted Bokabo, he pointed to his partner in crime Puseletso,” he said.
“We weren’t sure what they did with him and suspected they were part of a human trafficking syndicate.
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“We do not want to discuss how he was found as this information is very important to us and the family is awaiting an autopsy.”
Poopedi described Offense as a very talkative and intelligent child.
“He was a lively child and very talkative. His choice of words shocked people when someone got an R rating.
“South Africans need to know that human trafficking is real; parents should be careful with their children when they go to shops or play in the streets,” he said.
Masondo said Bokana and Puseletso appeared at the Tembisa Magistrates’ Court on Friday. He added that more suspects could be arrested as police continue their investigation.
