MASERU — The body of a sexually abused girl has been found floating in a river in Mafeteng, her throat slit wide open.
Police are battling to identify the parents of the deceased girl after people in Matelile village in Mafeteng, where the body was discovered, failed to recognise the eight-year-old.
“She was not known in the village where she was found,” acting police spokesperson ‘Mantolo Mothibeli said.
“The deceased’s throat was slit and she had other stabbing injuries on her body. It is suspected that the deceased was sexually assaulted before she was murdered.”
Herd boys tending livestock around the area discovered the body.
Police said it was still unclear whether this was a ritual killing since all the body parts were still intact besides the bo injuries.
Ritual killers are known to collect the blood of their victims in some instances.
Police however suspect the little girl’s body was dumped into the river after she was murdered.
“There is a possibility that she could have been washed away by heavy floods from other rivers to ‘Mamaebana River because there are no reports of a missing child in Matelile and neighbouring villages,” said Mothibeli.
