Missing elderly man found dead
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday January 17, 2023 06:00
Confirming the incident No.15 District Officer Commanding, Kabo Badirwang said they are investigating the cause of the death adding that he was previously reported missing to the police by his relatives and employer.
Badirwang said the deceased went for a clinical check up on January 10 after seeking permission from his 84-year-old employer.
He further said the next day (Thursday) the deceased person's employer called to check on him, but his phone rang unanswered until a stranger with a Zimbabwean accent picked it up.
He added that as it was getting late, his relatives also tried to reach him, but still the same stranger answered, and he did not give them straight answers about the whereabouts of the owner of the mobile phone.
He added that the family of the deceased person suspected that there was something fishy happening and reported the matter to the police. Badirwang said the police and family members began searching for the man and his body was later found lifeless on Friday inside his pit latrine. He explained that before finding the missing person's body, some people had complained of a foul smell coming from the pit latrine. He said that on the same day they managed to retrieve the deceased’s cellphone from his employer.
“The 84-year-old man told the investigating officers that the deceased man’s phone was dropped off by a Zimbabwean man working at the same cattle post with the deceased,” he added.
It is alleged that the Zimbabwean man might have met with the 73-year-old man prior to his death. No.15 District officer commanding further said when he (the Zimbabwean) handed over the deceased's phone, the 84-year-old man asked him about the whereabouts of his employee, but the Zimbabwean man is according to the deceased's employer just walked away and said he doesn’t want to deal with the police.
He said the deceased person and the Zimbabwean man knew each as they were working together in the cattle post. He indicated that they are still searching for the Zimbabwean man to assist them with investigations.
Badirwang also said this is the second incident of a similar nature under Tutume station policing area. He said two weeks back another man was killed at Senete village and thrown into the river.
He shared that the Senete man was killed after getting his salary and the suspect is still on the run. In most instances the suspects are Zimbabweans and after they do such deeds they completely disappear without a trace. Badirwang was concerned that most of the people in Tutume policing area harbour illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe, and when crime incidents happen, the perpetrators disappear.