The date of 17 July 2024 marks two years since Moeketsi Selemela was killed. Affectionately known as Kakapa, the 46-year-old Selemela was a member of the Bloemfontein-based Centre City Titaniums Athletics Club.
This is yet another gruesome murder that has went cold, with the Bloemfontein police seemingly unable to piece together the puzzle in the brazen kidnapping and murder on 17 July 2022.
Two years on, the Selemela family seeks closure and justice.
“Whoever took Mo’s life, robbed us very bad… Yah nhe. He was my best friend,” said Thabang Selemela, the deceased’s grieving elder brother.
The police have stated that the clues found were two 9 mm cartridges and one 9 mm projectile, but they mentioned nothing of any clues at the house in Fichardtpark, where the events in the murder started to unfold.
The clues mentioned were discovered inside Selemela’s Toyota Hilux bakkie during the retrieval of his body from the vehicle, which had been found parked a few kilometres outside the city along the N1.
Currently, the case is in the balance.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed discharging the three suspects: Thabiso Lemphane (43), Lehlohonolo Karai (23) and Tebatso Selemela (43), estranged wife of the slain athlete.
“Charges against all the accused were withdrawn due to lack of evidence,” said Mojalefa Senokoatsane, acting spokesperson for the NPA in the Free State.
The initial charges included murder, house robbery, kidnapping and motor vehicle theft.
Circumstances surrounding Moeketsi’s daylight murder are puzzling.
According to the police statement, based on information the deceased’s estranged wife provided, the events of the murder started with a robbery at their house in Fichardtpark at about 08:00.
One of the armed balaclava-wearing suspects allegedly approached Tebatso Selemela at the gate and pushed her back into the house. She reportedly was about to go out to jog when she was approached by the strange men.
It was confirmed the deceased had been living separate from his wife, as they were apparently in the middle of an acrimonious divorce.
The estranged wife stayed at their Fichardtpark house with their children, while the deceased stayed at his Brandwag residence.
Part of Tebatso Selemela’s statement read:
A second suspect arrived at the gate and the first suspect opened it.
He instructed her to call her husband and tell him to come to the house as their four-year-old daughter is sick.
Her husband was strangled and she told him to stay still. The suspects told them they will not hurt them – they just wanted R40 000.
She told them they didn’t have that money. Her husband told them they could take his car key and bank cards.
The suspects assaulted them.
She offered the suspects R1 450, but that is not the money they wanted.
The suspect tied her husband up and placed something in his mouth and tied a blue plastic bag around his mouth.
The suspect took her to her daughter’s room, where he also tied a blue plastic bag around her mouth.
The suspect locked her in the room with her children.
- Moeketsi’s kidnapping and murder came two days after the postponement of finalising of their divorce on 15 July 2022.
