Mpumalanga man arrested for digging up dad and granddad’s graves! A 28-year-old Mpumalanga man will spend the weekend in police custody after being arrested for allegedly digging up the graves of his father and grandfather in broad daylight.
In a case that has left police officers stunned in disbelief, Elken Kenneth Mokoena, of Masoyi outside Hazyview, became the subject of a swift investigation following a tip-off from community members.
The investigation began when a woman walked into the Masoyi Police Station to report that a man had desecrated two adjacent graves at the Swalala cemetery at around 1pm.
Police sprang into action, racing to the scene to confirm the horrific act.
Mpumalanga man arrested
Cops found man with the dug up remains
“Police were shocked at what they found,” said provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli.
Mdhluli said the Visible Policing Unit tracked Mokoena down, arresting him and confiscating the bones at his home.
He, however, would not be drawn into whether the motive could have been ritualistic in nature.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and we cannot speculate on the motive. The suspect has not been mentally evaluated, which is not a matter of police but the courts,” he said.
Mdhluli said their job was to ensure that lawbreakers are arrested.
“He clearly broke the law when he allegedly dug up the graves. And that’s all we are prepared to say at the moment. The law allows people to clean graves, erect tombstones and put flowers on them. But not to dig them up.
“That is why the suspect was arrested and charged with two counts of violating a grave. Police will investigate the case further while leaving the rest to the courts,” said Mdhluli.
Court to decide on mental evaluation
Mokoena, who has not been asked to plead, appeared in the Masoyi Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. The court postponed the matter to May 5 for legal representation.
Earlier, photos of the skeletal remains were shared online. Police later requested the media to refrain from using the images as they violated the dignity of the deceased’s living relatives.
Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, condemned the incident. He lauded the informant for her bravery.
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