Grisly murder as 'missing' man is found dead, limbs missing

MATABELELAND NORTH - IN an incident which left tongues wagging, Lupane villagers last week discovered the body of a missing man in what is suspected to be ritual murder.

The decomposing body of Themba Ndlovu was found in Lupanda village last Saturday after the deceased had disappeared for three weeks.

According to villagers the deceased left to look for cattle but it was the last time his relatives saw him alive as he did not return.

Dingani Sibanda, a community cop in the area confirmed the incident.

"We discovered his decomposing body with a string hanging around his neck but it was clear he had been murdered and his assailants wanted to disguise the gruesome  murder as suicide," Sibanda told a Bulawayo tabloid Umthunywa.

Sources said the family which was still in shock was divided on whether to bury the deceased without limbs or to first find them as it was taboo in African culture to bury a corpse with missing body parts.

Efforts to get a comment from police were fruitless until the article was published.

Umthunywa