Mutilated body found

The gruesome discovery of the mutilated body of a 33-three year-old woman at Mutshenzheni, Tshitavha, has sent shockwaves through the communities in the area.

Police spokesperson Maj Gen Mashudu Malelo confirmed that the body of Ms Mercy Ndou was found in the bush by passersby. "Her body was found at about 18:45 last Sunday (June 15)," said Malelo. Although he mentioned that her private parts were missing from the body, community members say more parts were missing. It is alleged that the right leg and buttocks were also missing from Ndou's naked body. Some of the flesh from her left leg had allegedly also been removed.

Different sources indicated that Ndou's face "looked as if it had been doused with acid." They said a plastic bag with clothes was found not far from her body.

Most of the community members whom this paper spoke to said they were living in fear of their lives since the gruesome finding of Ndou's body. Malelo said no one had been arrested for Ndou's death yet and appealed for any one with information to notify the police.

Thinavhuyo Ndou, Mercy's elder sister, said her sister had gone missing on 27 May. "She left the home of her elder sister, Elisa, in Shayandima, saying that she going shopping in Thohoyandou. "From there she was never seen until when she was found last Saturday," said her sister.

Her mother, Nyavheani, says she was shocked to hear that her daughter was last seen at the Makuta taxi rank on the same day that she left Shayandima. Her niece, Daisy Nemushungwa, told the family that Mercy used to consult her traditional healer at Tshitavha. Concoctions of medicine were also found in her handbag next to her decomposed body.

The family also confirmed that body parts were missing as indicated by community members from Tshitavha. They also added that Mercy's breasts and tongue had been removed. "We are not happy that no arrest has been made so far. We hope an arrest will be made soon," said Bridget, another sister.

Mercy will be buried on Saturday at her home in Makuya, Guyuni.

Community members said Ndou's suspected ritual murder case reminded them of the late Vhamusanda Vho-Mphatheleni Vhulahani Netswera, who was found dead after he was reported missing for two weeks. His body was found by a cattle herder next to a church, not far away from his village, Tswera, four years ago.

The family spokesperson, Ailwei Mukosi, said that it was puzzling that Netswera's body was found in a spot which had been searched before. Another suspected ritual murder victim in the area is Avhatendi Mulaudzi, whose body was found  hanging in his house. The community believes that he was killed and hanged. No arrest has been made in any of these cases.

When we visited the area on Tuesday afternoon, parents were warning their children from coming anywhere our vehicle when we were trying to get directions in the village. Some children also ran away from where they were playing next to the main road when they saw our vehicle stopping next to them. "Everyone is afraid for his or her life in this area. We no longer trust anybody, especially if that person is a stranger," said one community member to explain the tension in the area.

Date:20 June 2014

By: Ndivhuwo Musetha

Read: 4611