By OBAKENG MAJE
12 July 2025- Following a missing person case reported at Mogwase at the end of June 2025, a multi-disciplinary investigation and tracking team consisting of Crime Intelligence, Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit, Rustenburg Vehicle Crime Investigating Unit (VCIU) and Mogwase Detectives, was tasked to activate a 72 hour operation to unravel the disappearance of the victim, David Filmone Monese (59).
Monese was last seen at work on 27 June 2025.
The North West police spokesperson, Colonel Adéle Myburgh said the team immediately got down to work, following a number of leads, which led to the identification and subsequent arrest of a suspect (39) on 7 July 2025. Myburgh said the suspect, Lucas Enock Mkhize was allegedly found on the N18 road, near Ramatlabama village, in Mahikeng, where he was evading the police.
“The police took him to an address at Ramatlabama six hundred, where police confiscated cell phones and clothing believed to be ill-gotten loot from his criminal acts. Mkhize proceeded to take police to the Bangladesh Section in Hebron village, where the decomposed body of Monase was discovered.
“The body was discovered in an open field, where he was dumped after being killed. Immediately, a case of murder was opened in Hebron against the suspect, before he was taken to Mogwase Police Station, where further cases of kidnapping, house robbery and carjacking were opened,” she said.
Myburgh further said Mkhize briefly appeared before the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court on 9 July 2025 on charges of murder, kidnapping, house robbery and carjacking. She added that he was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on 24 July 2025.
“The police are hot on the tracks of his two accomplices, who have been identified as Pontsho and MJ. The two are regarded as armed and dangerous and as a result, the general public, including their friends or relatives who may have information on their whereabouts are asked not to harbour or assist them from evading arrest, but to report them to the nearest police station.
“You can also anonymously contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or make use of the MySAPS app from your smartphone,” said Myburgh.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng said: “This dastardly, barbaric and abominable crime by these heartless ruffians has robbed the family, relatives and society of a hardworking, valuable member of the community.
“All the available police resources and expertise shall be deployed to make sure that justice is served. The two scoundrels, who are still out there, must know the police will hunt them day and night and very soon they will have to account for their violent, senseless crimes.”
Myburgh said to the police, they are considered and regarded as merciless, dangerous robbers and murderers and will unless they hand themselves over immediately, be handled appropriately.
The Guardian 