Zimpapers Logo

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
A BULILIMA family says it has been saddened  by the discovery of the remains of a female relative who has been missing for a year, but is relieved that the closing of the final chapter of her life gives them closure.

Four women stumbled on the remains of Mrs Tjililo Sibanda (42) who disappeared without trace in September last year while she was on her way home from fetching water.

The women who discovered her remains were collecting firewood in a bushy area in Ngotsha Village in Madlambuzi.They saw Mrs Sibanda’s remains close to a stream which is about 10 kilometres from her homestead.

Chief Madlambuzi confirmed the incident which occurred in his area on Saturday morning. He said Sibanda’s relatives identified her by the tattered clothes that were found lying close to her remains.“There is a woman who went missing last year and her remains were found on Saturday morning by women who were collecting firewood.

“She was buried on Sunday morning at her homestead,” Chief Madlambuzi said.Ngotsha Village head, Mr Norman Tshuma, said Sibanda went missing on September 15 last year in the evening.He said it is suspected that she got lost on her way home from fetching water.

Mr Tshuma said Sibanda is suspected to have wandered off in the bushes as it was dark.

“Sibanda’s family filed a report of a missing person in September last year. They last saw her on 15 September when she left her home in the evening to collect water from a borehole which is about four kilometres away. Some villagers parted ways with her at the borehole at around 7PM,” he said.

“She never returned to her home that night. A search party was mobilised and villagers tried to locate her that night but failed. The search resumed the following morning and lasted for about two weeks without luck.” Mr Tshuma said one of the four women who are from Ngotsha village spotted a water bucket by a stream and went to investigate.

He said the woman then saw the human remains lying close to the bucket and alerted her colleagues.

“The place where they found the body is secluded and people hardly go there. We assume that Sibanda diverted from her path and got lost in the bushes as the area does not have any homesteads close by,’ Mr Tshuma said.

He said although saddened by the turn of events, Sibanda’s family was relieved following the discovery of the remains as her disappearance without trace was troubling them.

Mr Tshuma said Sibanda left behind her husband and four children.-@DubeMatutu