Latest news with #femicide
The Herald
4 days ago
- General
- The Herald
Family pleads with public to help police find Olorato Mongale's killers
'Some of the belongings of the victim, including a phone and a handbag, were found abandoned on 9th Road in Kew. Her body was found less than two hours later, around 4.50pm in Lombardy West by police with the help of community members.' Detectives said they are investigating the possibility that the man, who called himself 'John', was with another man when Mongale was killed. Mathe said a similar case, involving the murder of a 39-year-old woman whose body was found in Catherine Street in Sandown, Sandton, on May 8, is also under investigation by Gauteng police. Earlier this month, police arrested a man who was targeting women on Facebook using a fake profile and identity. The 24-year-old man is in custody pending trial on a charge of kidnapping and rape. He allegedly lured a 28-year-old woman from Gauteng to Limpopo under false pretences and raped her repeatedly. She was later rescued by police at a filling station in Giyani. 'While police investigating teams are on the ground on the Olorato Mongale case and several other cases of gender-based violence and femicide, we are urging women to be extra vigilant. Women are also urged to always report their whereabouts to friends and family when meeting new friends or going on dates. Meet only in public spaces,' Mathe said. Kananda urged society to come together to ensure the safety and dignity of all women, and to demand accountability for those who perpetrate violence. 'Olorato was a bright light in our lives, and we are committed to ensuring that her memory lives on. That she is remembered not as a statistic but as Olorato Mongale, who changed how the country responds to gender-based violence and femicide.' TimesLIVE
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Sickening reason a tradie shot dead his childhood sweetheart before killing himself
A woman who was gunned down by her husband in a suspected murder-suicide was reportedly planning to leave him when her life was tragically cut short. Krystel and James Paul, both aged 41, were found dead inside their home in Mount Sheridan, a southern suburb of Cairns in far north Queensland, on Tuesday night. Police discovered their bodies with gunshot wounds in the bathroom and main room of the Verbena Drive home at about 7pm. It has since emerged that Ms Paul had revealed to those close to her that she was planning to leaving her husband, the Cairns Post reported. While the high school sweethearts had no police history of domestic violence or mental health incidents, there are reports that Ms Paul may have been subject to violence from her husband. High profile advocate against domestic violence Sherele Moody claimed she received messages from someone close to Ms Paul, which gave insight into her final moments. 'Krystel Paul had packed her bags, put them in the boot of her car and was walking out the door. He shot her to death,' Ms Moody wrote on Thursday. 'This is why women don't report. This is why women don't leave.' Ms Moody's foundation, Australian Femicide Watch, listed Ms Paul as the 31st woman killed in a domestic violence incident in Australia this year. No residents on Verbena Dr recalled any indication of domestic violence over the two years the couple lived in the recently built home. Ms Paul owned a bridal boutique in the Cairns CBD named Chanel Jaymes Bridal Boutique, which remained closed for a second consecutive day on Thursday. Workers from neighbouring businesses recalled seeing her with a man, believed to be her husband, in the days before she was killed. Stella Florist employee Kane Maneylaws, remembered Ms Paul as a quietly spoken and gentle person. 'It's a very small community, and it's sent a ripple right through the industry,' he said. 'You hear it on the news and a lot of us are pretty desensitised to it these days, but when it hits home personally, it grounds you a bit more when you understand it's really happening in our neighbourhood.' Police were called to the couple's home on Tuesday night following a triple-zero call from a family member. Shortly before the shooting, Mr Paul sent the couple's nine-year-old daughter to a neighbour's home. Danna Lancini recalled finding the little girl in complete shock and struggling to speak. 'I had to comfort her because she told me that her mum was dead,' Ms Lancini told the Cairns Post. 'The girl said, "My dad sent me here because she's dead".' A police officer close to the investigation said the use of a firearm and Mr Paul's effort to shield his daughter from further trauma indicated his clear intention to murder. 'It's pretty clear, you want them dead, when you go to that extreme, survival chances are pretty limited,' the officer said. 'And there has to be brain processing to protect the children and send them outside to protect them from what is about to happen.' The couple were well-known in Cairns, where their sudden deaths have rocked the tourist city. 'I never would've expected this to happen to them, there were no signs, nothing, they were just so good,' Ms Lancini said. Other neighbours were equally shocked. 'To go through all that effort, you know, build a house up there, and get a lovely little puppy, and then just throw it all away,' Cooper Smith said. 'To leave your daughter, it's horrible, I just don't have words for it, honestly.' Emergency responders arrived to 'traumatising' scenes at the home. 'I have not previously been exposed to anything like this before,' Detective Acting Inspector Alina Bell told reporters on Wednesday. Police don't believe the girl witnessed the incident. 'That still doesn't take away from how traumatising that will be for that child and the family members and friends moving forward,' Det Bell said. Det Bell also confirmed the Pauls didn't have a domestic violence or mental health history and were not known to police. 'It's always possible that things go on behind closed doors that family, friends and police are not aware of,' Det Bell said. 'But our investigations have indicated to date that there is no indication that there was any domestic violence within that relationship.' Multiple firearms were located inside the home, all registered to Mr Paul - the head of JP Painting Contractors. The couple's young daughter is currently in the care of family members, who have been given ongoing support. 'This is not only a tragic occurrence for friends and family it also significantly impacts on the whole of the community,' Det Bell said. The investigation into the couple's deaths continue, where police are seeking CCTV from businesses surround Ms Paul's bridal shop. Investigators urge anyone with information or relevant footage in the area to come forward. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, free and confidential help is available. Lifeline 13 11 14, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Olorato Mongale: South African police name suspects linked to murder of student on date
Police in South Africa have named three men believed to be directly involved in the murder of a university student who had gone on a date. Olorato Mongale's body was discovered on Sunday in Lombardy, north of Johannesburg, about two hours after she was reported late on Wednesday said they had seized a VW Polo that was allegedly used in the murder of the 30-year-old student. "The vehicle was found with traces of blood inside at a panel beater workshop in Phoenix, Durban," police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said. One man, who police believed was the owner of the vehicle, has been arrested. Photographs of three other suspects - Fezile Ngubane, Philangenkosi Sibongokuhle Makhanya and Bongani Mthimkhulu - who are said to be on the run, have been released by Mathe said the men were "dangerous" and cautioned members of the public not to come near them.A reminder of South Africa's femicide problemSouth Africa: Violence against women like a war"These suspects are warned to hand themselves over at their nearest police station."Ms Mongale was last seen on Sunday in the company of a man she had met a few days earlier at a footage showed her leaving a location in Kew, Johannesburg, and walking towards a white VW Polo, with fake licence friends said she was invited for a date by a man only identified as John, who she met in Johannesburg, where she was studying for a postgraduate degree at Witwatersrand texted one of her friends shortly before leaving home, saying that she was excited and getting ready for her police later found her body in an open field, sparking public outrage and calls for spokesperson Criselda Kananda said Ms Mongale's body was "brutally violated."A candlelight vigil was held on Wednesday evening in Lombardi West, at the site where the body was found dumped. Family and friends have described her as an outspoken, bubbly woman who "lived with purpose and love", local media reported. Ms Mongale was a journalism graduate from Rhodes University and worked briefly as a multimedia reporter at the TimesLIVE news website. While working as a journalist, she covered the murder of Karabo Mokoena - a young woman who was murdered by her boyfriend in 2017. Ms Mongale's killing has sparked a fierce debate about the levels of violence faced by women in South is the latest femicide in a country which has a particular problem with femicide and violence against 2020, an average of one woman died at the hands of her intimate partner every eight hours, according to a study by the University of the Free 2019, South Africa ranked among the five countries with the highest rates of the murder of women, according to the United country has one of the highest rates of sexual violence in the world, with rape being the most reported crime against children. More BBC stories from South Africa: Chris Brown concert shines spotlight on violence against women in South AfricaMissing South Africa girl: Our children are scaredSexual violence in South Africa: 'I was raped, now I fear for my daughters' Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Chilling moment 'killer' husband is filmed bundling his ex-wife's body into car boot 'before dumping her in piranha-infested river'
A man has been caught stuffing his ex-wife's body into the boot of a car before dumping her in a piranha-infested river. Carlos Eduardo de Souza Ribeiro last week confessed to murdering his ex-wife Amanda Caroline de Almeida, 31, and dumping her body into a river in Brazil 's São Paulo state. Horrifying footage, taken last Tuesday, shows Ribeiro, 35, and his brother carrying the victim's body in a sheet. The sick pair can be seen trying to stuff her body into the car's boot, before driving off to toss her into the Tietê River. Ribeiro admitted to strangling Almeida on May 19 after she refused to get back with him following their separation two months prior, police said. Friends told local media that just six weeks earlier, Ribeiro had brutally beaten Almeida for leaving him. The battered woman is said to have not to reported him to protect their three children from further distress. The man was arrested on May 21, while his 38-year-old brother, who has not been named, was detained a day later. Police said: 'Two men have been arrested in for femicide and concealment of a corpse. 'The search continues to locate the victim's body.' Sadly, Almeida's body hasn't yet been recovered from the Tietê River, located in Brazil's state of São Paulo, which is notorious for its poor water quality and is known to be infested with piranhas. Several months ago, 15 swimmers were forced to flee the river covered in blood when they were attacked by a school of piranha fish. On the night she was murdered, Almeida was returning home from an evening out when she noticed her ex-husband's car parked near her house. She asked to be dropped off at a distance, hoping he would leave by the time she arrived. Tragically, she was never seen again. Her three children, aged 17, 7 and 5, are now in the care of family members. Domestic violence against women has long been a widespread issue in Brazil. National data since 2021 indicates a troubling rise in cases of violence targeting women. In response, the Brazilian government took a significant step in 2024 by designating domestic violence as an exception to repatriation under the Hague Convention. This move was widely recognised as a landmark decision aimed at safeguarding victims of domestic abuse, including women and children.
The Herald
6 days ago
- The Herald
Police launch search for man who allegedly killed woman and dumped her body
Police have launched a manhunt for a suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a 30-year-old woman. Police said the suspect calls himself John and drives a VW Polo fitted with a cloned number plate — LT 57 JG GP — that belongs to a Toyota Hilux. 'Olorato Mongale went on a date with her alleged killer who picked her up from her residential complex driving a white VW Polo. During investigations it emerged that the vehicle is fitted with fake registration number plates,' police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said. She said the man fetched Mongale at her residential complex in Atholl, Johannesburg, at around 3pm on Sunday. He drove with the victim to Alexandra, then proceeded to Kew. Between Alexandra and Lombardy West in Johannesburg, the man allegedly murdered Mongale and dumped her body. 'Some of the belongings of the victim which include a phone and a handbag were found abandoned on 9th Road in Kew.' Her body was found at around 4.50pm in Lombardy West on Monday by the South African Police Service and community members. Gauteng police are investigating the possibility that 'John' was with another male suspect when they allegedly murdered Mongale. Mathe said police were investigating a similar case after a 39-year-old woman was found dumped in Catherine Street in Sandown, Sandton on May 8. 'While police investigating teams are on the ground on the Olorato Mongale case and several other gender-based violence and femicide cases, we are urging women to be extra vigilant and look out for this VW Polo.' TimesLIVE
