Three suspects arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a nurse in Limpopo
Three suspects arrested for kidnapping and murder of Limpopo nurse.
Image: File
A 60-year-old woman and two other suspects are expected to appear in the Nebo Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, May 7, in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a male nurse, Morudi Frank Phetla, in Jane Furse earlier this year.
The suspects, a 60-year-old woman, a 49-year-old woman, and a 42-year-old man, are facing charges of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, and murder.
Their arrests stem from a coordinated police operation on Monday, May 5, led by the Jane Furse Tracking Team in collaboration with the Provincial Organised Crime Unit in Gauteng.
The operation, informed by credible intelligence, targeted areas in Ekurhuleni, Kempton Park, and Tembisa.
A 49-year-old woman was arrested at an estate in Kempton Park, while the 42-year-old male suspect was apprehended in Tembisa. The team then proceeded to Limpopo, where the 60-year-old woman was arrested in Jane Furse.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the case dates back to March 16, 2025 when 64-year-old Morudi Frank Phetla was abducted outside his home in the Zamane Section of Jane Furse.
“His vehicle was later found idling with its headlights on, but he was missing,” said Ledwaba.
Tragically, Phetla’s body was discovered the next morning by a shepherd under the Mabintana Bridge. He had suffered fatal head injuries.
While the motive for the crime remains unclear, investigations are ongoing.
Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, praised the investigative efforts and commended the swift and coordinated efforts of the investigative team, which led to the timely arrest of the suspects.
She further affirmed the SAPS’s commitment to justice.
“No stone will be left unturned in uncovering all the circumstances surrounding this heinous crime,” she said.
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