Police investigations are under way after a murder suspect allegedly committed suicide in the holding cells at the Thohoyandou police station in South Africa’s Limpopo province.
Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the lifeless body of Richard Azwindini Mamali was found hanging in his cell at the police station on Thursday.
“The body of a 27-year-old Richard Azwindini Mamali was found hanging in his cell at about 5am. The suspect had earlier appeared before Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on two counts of murder,” said Ledwaba.
Mamali was apprehended at his hideout in Mahwelereng, Mokopane under Waterberg District on Tuesday last week, after he allegedly stabbed and killed his 19-year-old girlfriend at Ha-Magidi village.
The brutal murder happened on Sunday, September 3, 2023 at around 11pm, after Mamali met the teenage woman on the street.
“The deceased, Ridodzula Mudzanani, who is from Mbaleni village, reportedly shared two kids with the suspect (Mamali),” said Ledwaba.
“It is also believed that the suspect was responsible for another brutal murder that occurred a week later in which the body of a man was discovered in the area.
“At the time, the identity document of the 27-year-old wanted suspect was found next to the deceased, giving an impression that he is the dead (person). As investigations continued, it transpired that the deceased individual had his own identity document in the pockets,” according to police.
Subsequent to extensive investigations, it was revealed that the discovered body was not that of Mamali, and consequently police started tracing him until he was arrested at Mahwelereng.
Meanwhile, provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has ordered “a thorough investigation” to be conducted to determine the circumstances around Mamali’s death, and the related incidents.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has attended the suicide scene, and is probing the incident.
Last week, police in Limpopo launched a massive manhunt for 35-year-old fugitive, Thabo Ali Molobela, who escaped from police custody after he allegedly shot six people, killing two.
The escape incident happened at Sekororo Hospital.
“The suspect (Molobela) allegedly shot himself while being arrested over a week ago. A police officer managed to move swiftly to disarm him and quickly rushed him to hospital for medical treatment,” Ledwaba said last week.
He said Molobela was under police guard in the hospital when he escaped.
