Missing Bulawayo man found dead in Khami River

THE body of a Bulawayo man who was reported missing more than a week ago has been found floating in Khami dam.

The police Sub-Aqua Unit from Fairbridge retrieved the body on Wednesday morning.

The deceased was identified as Qhubekani Ngwenya from Rangemore.

Sources who spoke to The Chronicle said the deceased used to go to the dam with his friends on fishing expeditions.

A close family friend who identified himself only as Mr Ngulube said the deceased's family started looking for him sometime last week after he went missing.

"We all got worried as a community that Ngwenya had gone away and did not come back home because it was so unlike him. We made a report at Pumula Police Station. However, the police told us to wait for another 48 hours before going back to the station. We continued searching to no avail," he said.

Mr Ngulube said a community search party went to the dam to look for the deceased to no avail. The mystery of his disappearance was unravelled after his body was found floating in the dam on Tuesday.

Mr Ngulube said the community was shocked by the incident although the family has found closure in knowing what had befallen him.

"At some point, we even thought that perhaps he had been taken by mermaids or even kidnapped for ritual murders. It is unfortunate that we found him when his body was already decomposing but it will give closure in that the family will be able to bury him than being unable to know where his remains lie," he said.

Council employees from the city sewerage works at Khami said Ngwenya came on a regular basis to fish, but they didn't see him with fishing rods on the fateful day.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango could not be reached for comment at the time of going to press.