“He said when he asked where Pethe was going with Amantle, he told him to mind his own business.
“It seems like the boy knew something was wrong because after a while, he went to the man’s place. And as he was walking into the yard, Pethe was walking out. The boy saw Amantle in a room and called for help.”
Samane recalled the state she found Amantle in after arriving at the scene: “She was covered with a blanket. I removed it and saw her shorts were only on one leg, so I put them on properly. I asked someone to get water so that I can pour it over her face to wake her up. But nothing happened.
“I carried her in my arms and noticed the marks around her neck… I was in deep pain seeing those strangulation marks.”
Gauteng police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said Simiao is still at large, but that they have reached out to other Mozambican nationals in the area and Interpol for assistance.
“We can now confirm that the person we were seeking is the main suspect, as he was the last person seen with the child. We have his name and photo, and we know he is a Mozambican national. He is still at large,” Masondo said.
Simiao, known for his welding work in the community, was described by his landlord Thabo Kekana as someone who kept to himself.
Koena Mashale
www.sowetanlive.co.za
