The police in Leslie are investigating an inquest case following the death of a 45-year-old man after allegations of rape leveled against him.
According Mpumalanga police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, they received, the alleged sexual abuse began in 2017, when the daughter was 17 years old. She only disclosed the incidents to her biological mother in 2024.
Deeply disturbed by the revelations, the mother chose to separate from the suspect but did not report the matter to the police at the time.
“The situation escalated in 2025, when the suspect allegedly began harassing both the mother and the daughter, who is now 25 years old at their place of residence. This prompted the victim and her mother to report the matter to the police, and a case of rape was officially opened,” she said.
Ndubane also said before the suspect could be arrested, he allegedly contacted a relative on June 12 and informed her that he had ingested poison because a rape case had been opened against him. Emergency services and police responded to the call, but the man was declared dead at the scene.
An inquest docket has been opened, and investigations surrounding his death are continuing.
