Tebogo Msimanga |
The Police at Mokwakwaila in the Mopani District have launched unusual investigations of violation of grave and theft after the body of the deceased was dug out of the grave and stolen by unknown suspect(s) at Senakwe Section in Mokwakwaila policing area.
Police Spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said one of the family members had on Sunday, 05 February 2023, reportedly gone to the cemetery to clean the gravesite in preparation for the upcoming gathering of the unveiling of the tombstone, when she discovered that the grave was dug open and the corpse stolen. She then alerted family members and Police were also notified.
When arriving at the scene, they were met by the unusual site of the violated grave having a hole and an open coffin with no corpse inside”.
Mojapelo said preliminary investigations conducted at the scene established that the suspect(s) accessed the graveyard by cutting the side fence. They then dug a hole next to the grave, accessed the coffin and stole the corpse.
“Modike Philemon Masedi whose body was stolen, reportedly died on 15 January 2022 and was buried seven days later on the 22nd. The motive for this incident is unknown at this stage”.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has expressed shock at what happened at the said graveyard and has ordered that the perpetrator(s) be hunted down and brought to book.
