Tsitsi Matope
MASERU — An 85-year-old woman and her nine –year-old grandson were found dead in their bedroom at Ha Matla-Qabane village in Qacha’s Nek on Tuesday morning.
Both had their necks slit with a suspected sharp object, while the grandmother’s body had part of the facial skin, some hair and some flesh from her head removed.
No body parts were removed from the body of the grandson.
Police suspect ritual murder and have urged residents in Qacha’s Nek and also Mohale’s Hoek and Quthing districts to be alert.
This is the second family that has been hit in a suspected ritual murder fashion, in less than two weeks.
However, the bodies were found by neighbours who had come to check on the family after they had not seen the grandson preparing to go to school as he usually did.
Police suspect, the murder was committed by a suspect or suspects known to the deceased persons.
“We strongly suspect the grandson was killed to protect the identity of the suspect or suspects,” police spokesperson, Inspector Thato Ramarikhoane said last Friday.
He said the old woman was alone with her grandson when the double murder occurred.
“The now deceased’s son, who was also staying with them, was not at home when the fatal attack happened,” Ramarikhoane said.
Nothing was stolen from the victims’ house and so far no arrests have been made, Ramarikhoane said.
He further explained police are suspecting there is a syndicate of ritual murderers targeting elderly women in Qacha’s Nek.
“We are still investigating another suspected ritual murder of an 87-year-old woman which occurred over a week ago at Ha Motlomelo village in Qacha’s Nek.”
Ramarikhoane said in this case the woman was beheaded while her left arm was chopped off.
Police did not find both the head and arm when the body was found in a pool of blood by an 80-year-old neighbour in the afternoon hours.
The now deceased’s grandson, aged 11, had gone to school when the murder occurred.
“We recovered an axe, which we believe was used in the killing, next to the body. Nothing was stolen from the house, meaning the suspects were after the now deceased’s missing head and arm,” Ramarikhoane said.