South Africa: Man arrested over murder and sexual mutilation of lesbian

A man has been arrested in connection with the murder and sexual mutilation of a lesbian in South Africa.

The body of Duduzile Zozo, 26, was found with a toilet brush inserted into her vagina, in Thokoza, east of Johannesburg, on 30 June.

Ms Zozo was killed in an apparent homophobic attack.

“Police had been following up information since her body was found. Several suspects were arrested for questioning and released,” said police officer Lungelo Dlamini.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested in Thokoza, a township south of Johannesburg and will appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court early next week.

In South Africa, at least seven people, five of them lesbians, were murdered between June and November 2012 in what appears to have been targeted violence related to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The case of Noxolo Nogwaza, a young lesbian in Johannesburg, who was raped and murdered more than two years ago remains unsolved.

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