By BAKANG MOKOTO
7 August 2025- The accused, Helder Isidro (36) from Eersterust, abandoned his bail application at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court. Isidro is facing a charge of murder of Loveness Magabe (30) and defeating the ends of justice.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana said it is alleged that the accused and the deceased initially met on a Facebook hook-up site and later continued communicating via WhatsApp. Mahanjana said they arranged to meet in person at a lodge in Eersterust on 26 July 2025.
“On the said date it is alleged that the accused ordered an uber for the deceased to pick her up from her place of residence in Sunnyside and drop her off at their meeting place. However, the meeting place was not a lodge as initially agreed but the accused place of residence.
“Upon her arrival before the two met, it is alleged that the deceased sent a message to her friend and told her that the place where she was dropped off looked dodgy and she also sent her friend a pin location in case she went missing,” she said.
Mahanjana further said when the deceased failed to return home the following day, 27 July 2025, her friend opened a missing person case at the Sunnyside Police Station. She added that, following an intensive police investigation, the body of Magabe was discovered in a shallow grave at the accused’s residence in Eersterust on 31 July 2025.
“Isidro was arrested on 4 August 2025 at his grandmother’s residence in Limpopo. The case has been postponed to 15 October 2025, for further investigation.
“In a separate matter, the accused is also facing a rape charge and is scheduled to appear in Court on the same date (15 October 2025),” said Mahanjana.
The Guardian 