‘Mantoetse Maama
MASERU — Police are investigating a suspected ritual murder of a 35-year-old man whose body was found with missing genital parts in Ha Tlalinyane in Leribe on September 30. The mutilated body was found by a 15-year-old boy who was herding livestock in the area.
No arrests have been made so far. The recent case follows four other suspected ritual murder cases that occurred in Mapoteng and Qacha’s Nek last month. However, police investigations in the latest case have shown that the now deceased had attended a feast at a neighbour’s homestead on the previous day, Sunday September 29.
“His family reported that he never returned home on that day,” police spokesperson, Inspector Thato Ramarikhoane said on Thursday last week. The body was found by the herd boy the following day. Ramarikhoane said upon examining the body, police who attended the crime scene discovered the now deceased’s genital parts had been cut off with a sharp object.
“Police who processed the crime scene also noticed the now deceased had sustained other bodily injuries,” Ramarikhoane said. Ramarikhoane said communities should work together to prevent serious crimes that include the recent cases of murder for suspected ritual purposes.
“The pattern is showing us that the suspects are targeting elderly people and those under the influence of alcohol. This could be because they are unable to defend themselves”, the police spokesperson said.
He urged the public to be more vigilant and work towards strengthening the village crime prevention committees and the neighbourhood watch system.
“While we urge traditional leaders to take a keen interest at ensuring measures are taken to reduce crime, we also strongly urge the public to enhance security on their premises. That way, it would not be easy for criminals to break in.”
Ramarikhoane said police have intensified routine patrols and checkpoints as a way of increasing their visibility and also foil any planned criminal activities.