Khumontle Mokgosi. Khumontle Mokgosi.
Johannesburg – Police have arrested a 40-year-old man in connection to the murder of a North West teacher.
The body of Khumontle Mokgosi was discovered last week Monday in her bedroom in Magong Village near Mogwase, with her hands and feet tied.
It's believed she was strangled.
The suspect, Akanyang Rakodi, was found with her bank account, cellphones and a few new items he is alleged to have bought with her money.
Brigadier Sabata Mokgwaabone of the North West police said police arrested the man on Friday in Goo-Mokgatle Section in Dinokana village outside Zeerust.
"He was arrested during a crime intelligence driven operation by a multi-disciplinary team comprising of Bojanala District and Zeerust Task Teams as well as Provincial Traffic.
"During the arrest, the suspect was found in possession of the deceased’s bank card as well as the recently bought goods such as clothes, a car battery and liquor.
"Preliminary investigation revealed that Mokgosi’s bank card was used to withdraw cash from ATMs in Northam and Zeerust. Furthermore, the team managed to recover Mokgosi’s two cellphones," he said.
Mokgwabone said it was not yet known if Mokgosi knew the man. However, what they knew was that Mokgosi was staying at the home of the suspect's girlfriend.
Rakodi appeared in court on Monday and was expcted to return on July 14. He was remanded in custody.
Brigadier Sabata Mokgwaaboe of the North West police said the teacher's colleagues became worried when she did not arrive for work on Monday as it was unlike her.
Mokgwaabone said the neighbours and members of the School Governing Body conducted a search for her and went to her home.
He said the house was not locked and when they went inside, they made the gruesome discovery.
"Mokgosi’s lifeless body was found with her hands tied to her back. Her feet were also tied up and it is suspected that she was strangled," Mokgwaabone said.
Mokgosi, originally from Makgobistad Village near Mahikeng, was a life sciences and English teacher at Makoba Secondary School, near Rustenburg.
She was teaching Grades 10 to 12.
North West Education MEC Mmaphefo Matsemela conveyed her condolences to the family and the school community, and said Mokgosi's killing happened at a time when South Africa was grappling with gender-based violence.
"It's one death too many. As a department we are fighting a common enemy called Covid-19 and we do not expect to lose our teachers in this way.
"It is heartbreaking to lose a young teacher who could have had a long career in the teaching sector. Teachers play an important role of moulding the future of our country and as a society we need to take good care of them and protect them.
"A nation without teachers is a doomed society, teachers are a light to the community. I am appealing to the police to arrest the perpetrators of this heinous act. They should rot in jail”, said Matsemela.