Police in Mpumalanga have confirmed that the body of 37-year-old woman, Bonisiwe Mabuza, who was reported missing last week, has been found buried in a shallow grave.
Last week, police in Mpumalanga appealed for community members to help in locating Bonisiwe, after her vehicle, a Volkswagen Polo was found abandoned in Pienaar, without its wheels.
At the time of Bonisiwe’s disappearance, Colonel Donald Mdhluli said police had also established that some of her household property including television set and refrigerator had also vanished from her home.
“Unfortunately, the body of Ms Bonisiwe Mabuza was exhumed on Monday afternoon (July 1) at Luphisa graveyard in Pienaar, outside Nelspruit after she went missing and only to learn later that she was murdered then buried in a shallow grave, allegedly by her assailants,” said Mdhluli.
“On the day she was reported missing, her VW Polo was found in a secluded place in Pienaar and all wheels of her vehicle were removed as well as a side mirror and a backseat. Some items inside her house were also missing. These include a TV set and a fridge.”
Over the weekend, Mdhluli said police initially took in two people, a man and a woman, for questioning. That led to the breakthrough, as well as the recovery of some of the items that police are convinced were stolen from Bonisiwe.
The two were then detained as suspects in the case, while a third suspect handed himself over to police on Monday.
“The three are facing a charge of murder, kidnapping, house robbery and more charges could be added against them as the investigation continues,” said Mdluli.
The three murder-accused people are expected to appear before the Kanyamazane Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
In another case, earlier this month, the body of a Mpumalanga woman who had been missing for two days was found burnt in a bush in Mphenyatšatši near Bushbuckridge.
At the time, Mdhluli said neighbours of the woman, who stayed alone, contacted her family after realising that she had not been seen for at least two days.
“Several attempts were made by the family to locate her but they were unsuccessful and the matter was then reported to the Bushbuckridge SAPS whereby a missing person's file was opened on Saturday, June 8,’’ said Mdhluli.
Mdhluli added that her burnt body was found a day after she was reported missing.
IOL