Without elaborating, the Free State Police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, says that the unnamed 34-year-old woman “couldn’t be charged for now on this murder”. The specifics of her alleged involvement in the case have not been revealed as yet. What is known about the woman, is that she was taken into police custody for questioning on 23 June, two days after Shabe was snatched from the Mmantshebo Primary School in Thabong. The case against her alleged co-accused on the other end appears to be swiftly underway with charges of rape and extortion added to murder and kidnapping.

Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Phaladi Shuping, tells OFM News that the 44-year-old Lerato Merriam Kgitsane and 46-year-old Stompie Pule Rapuleng appeared in the Welkom Magistrate's Court on Monday 28 June 2021, and that their case was postponed to 5 July 2021 for bail application. They remain in cuffs. 

Shuping says the two are believed to be in a romantic relationship. The family recently told SABC News that the suspects are people they had hired to do house repairs. This is yet to be confirmed to OFM News by police or the eight-year-old’s relatives.  

The little girl was kidnapped from her school in Thabong on Monday (21 June 2021) at 13:30 by an unknown woman. Her abductors made calls to her grandmother, demanding a R50 000 ransom in exchange for her safe return. Preliminary investigations led police to Rapuleng, who after some questioning took police to where Shabe’s body lay in the Riebeeckstad suburb. Police found Shabe’s body wrapped with a duvet cover in an open field. She was still wearing her school uniform. Free State Provincial Police Commissioner, Baile Motswenyane, expressed her condolences to the family of the eight-year-old.

OFM News