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of a fellow countryman and removing his eyes and private parts in a suspected ritual murder.
After the murder, the quartet reportedly hung the lifeless body from a tree near Matombo Lodge in Musina to make it appear like a suicide
Munyaradzi Mutetwa was found hanging from the tree in the bush about 7km outside Musina last Friday.
South Africa’s Limpopo Province police spokesman, Colonel Ronel Otto, yesterday said they had arrested the suspects who are aged between 17 and 31-years-old.
The four suspects are expected to appear in court today to answer to murder charges. Col Otto said preliminary investigations showed that Mutetwa was stabbed in the chest.
“According to the family of the deceased, he was last seen on Tuesday, 8 March 2011. His body was discovered by police hanging from a tree near Matombo Lodge, with bloody clothes and stab wounds in the chest.
“Investigations also revealed that both eyes as well as the private parts of the deceased had been removed. The man’s body has been taken to Musina Government Hospital mortuary,” he said.
Thorough investigations, Col Otto said, led police to arrest the four Zimbabweans in Musina Town.
“Our detectives are currently following up strong leads about the alleged selling of the parts removed from the body of the deceased.
“The four suspects are expected to appear in the Musina Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (today). Investigations are continuing,” he said.
Col Otto said police suspected the quartet was part of a syndicate.
He said cases of ritual murder were of great concern in Lim-popo Province.
Murder cases have become rife in bushy areas around the banks of the Limpopo River where criminals ambush and rob illegal immigrants going to either South Africa or Zimbabwe.
Joint patrols between Zimbabwean and South African police, some using helicopters, have resulted in the arrest of several dangerous criminals operating in this area.