By Lisalee Solomons.
The body of missing regional court Magistrate Mamello Thamae, 40, was found in the boot of her car in Lesotho, hours after she and her husband were reported missing from their Heilbron home in the Free State.
Free State police confirmed the victim’s 40-year-old husband had been arrested after he pointed out his wife’s dead body in the boot of their silver Kia, which was parked outside a guest house in Mokhotlong on Friday.
Police spokesperson Captain Loraine Earle said it was alleged that Thamae arrived at her home on 21 September, and their car was seen leaving their residence the next morning at about 04:00.
Earle said a search was immediately launched for the missing couple.
Earle said: Her clothes and cellphone were still at home. The vehicle they are suspected to have left with was a silver Kia Sportage. There was strong suspicion that the vehicle drove through the Ficksburg port of entry into Lesotho.
According to police, the cellphone and clothes of her husband also appeared to be missing.
Police confirmed that the couple’s vehicle was traced to Lesotho at a guest house in Mokhotlong, where the Lesotho Mounted Police Service questioned the husband, who pointed out his wife’s lifeless body in the vehicle’s boot.
“He was detained in Lesotho awaiting extradition back to South Africa to face possible charges of kidnapping and murder,” said Earle.
Police said processes were being followed to have the suspect brought back to Heilbron next week.