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- Two men have been arrested after the body of 5-year-old Ofentse Poopedi was found.
- Moses Bokaba and Joseph Puseletso have appeared in court on charges of murder and kidnapping.
- Police said they were looking at making more arrests.
Two men have been arrested and charged with kidnapping and murder after the body of a 5-year-old Tembisa boy was found with missing body parts in an open veld in Centurion on Sunday afternoon.
Moses Bokaba, 35, and Joseph Puseletso, 52, were handed over to the Ivory Park police station by residents on the Tuesday that Ofentse Poopedi was reported missing.
Bokaba is a neighbour of Ofentse’s parents in Tembisa.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said:
He said the suspects had been interrogated by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, and that they had pointed out where Ofentse’s body was dumped.
"Further questioning of the suspects and a thorough investigation by members of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit led to the suspects pointing out where the body of the child was dumped. Police discovered the body on Sunday, with some of the body parts missing,” Masondo said.
Bokaba and Puseletso are facing charges of murder and kidnapping. More suspects may still be linked to the case.
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Ofentse’s uncle Lehlohonolo Poopedi said his sister was not doing well following the tragic news about her son.
"She is very selective about who she speaks to as this is not sitting alright with her. It’s also challenging for us to explain to his younger cousins as they are still asking if we have found Ofentse," he said.
According to Poopedi, Bokaba was one of their neighbours and had gained the trust of the family and Ofentse.
"When the community confronted Bokaba, he pointed out his partner in crime Puseletso," he said.
"We were not sure what they had done with him, and we suspected they were part of a trafficking syndicate.
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"We don’t want to discuss how he was found, as this information is very sensitive to us and the family is awaiting the autopsy."
Poopedi described Ofentse as a very talkative and smart child.
"He was a bubbly child and very talkative. The choice of his words shocked people for someone doing Grade R.
"South Africans need to be aware that trafficking is real; parents should be careful of their children when they go to the shops or play in the streets," he said.
Masondo said Bokana and Puseletso appeared at Tembisa Magistrate's Court on Friday. He added that more suspects might be arrested as police investigations continued.
