Mom of 9 found hanged in cell
2006-02-14 18:28
Johannesburg - A mother of nine was found hanged in the Bethal police-station cells after her arrest for staging her kidnapping and rape, Mpumalanga police said on Tuesday.
Linah Malaza's daughter reported her missing last Wednesday after a phone call in which the 42-year-old claimed she had been kidnapped and raped, said superintendent Abie Khoabane.
This happened while she apparently was hitch-hiking from Trichardt to her home in Bethal. Another call followed from a man demanding a R4 000 ransom.
However, on her return on Monday, Malaza denied having been kidnapped.
Khoabane said: "Police discovered that she was with her boyfriend - they had gone jolling."
She was due to appear in Bethal magistrate's court on Tuesday to face a charge of defeating the ends of justice.
Khoabane said: "A massive manhunt was launched and a special team established to look for her, without success."
Even her mother's death at the age of 72 on Friday had failed to bring the woman back.
Police found her hanged from the cell door by her scarf during cell visits about 22:00.
Malaza leaves nine children aged from three to 21.
- SAPA