Missing Chinese man found dead in Zimbabwe

A 62-YEAR-OLD Chinese national who had been missing for nearly three weeks has been found dead in the Tsambe River in Odzi, Manicaland, bringing an end to a search involving police, private investigators and local residents.

He Xian Ming, a supervisor at a quarry mine in Odzi, was last seen alive on July 27 and his decomposed remains were recovered from the river on Tuesday night.

Tafadzwa Chidawa of Matrix Private Investigations & Security said Ming was last seen at about 8pm in the company of a sex worker whom he had allegedly been introduced to by one of his employees.

Chidawa said investigators had established that an argument allegedly broke out following the encounter.

"Our information is that after the sex, the woman demanded money because the deceased had not used protection. She threatened to report him for rape," Chidawa said.

"There was an altercation and the deceased left the site alone."

According to Chidawa, the employee who allegedly arranged the meeting had encouraged the woman to demand additional money in the hope of receiving a share of the payment.

"Since that night, he was not found until the discovery of his remains in an advanced state of decomposition," Chidawa said.

Police are continuing with investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding Mings death.

While some residents suspect that he could have been murdered or driven to take his own life following the alleged threats, investigators have not yet established the cause or manner of death.

The recovery of the body is expected to assist investigators as they piece together Ming's final movements and determine what happened after he left the quarry site.