By ‘Mantoetse Maama
MASERU — A 25
-year-old ritual murder suspect from Qacha’s Nek was arrested in Semonkong last Thursday.
The suspect is accused of the murder of an 87-year-old woman who was found lying dead in a pool of blood in her home by her neighbour on September 19.
Police spokesperson Thato Ramarikhoane said the uspect, who was living in Semonkong when he was arrested, had hidden the body parts in the sand near a river.
“After the suspect was arrested in Semonkong he took police to the Senqu River where he had hidden old woman’s head and left hand,” Ramarikhoane said.
“The head and the hand were covered with the sand near the river. The parts were taken to the deceased family members who confirmed that the parts belonged to the deceased. The old woman was buried with her body parts as they were confirmed by the relatives.”
He said the parts were buried with the deceased because the police have “gathered enough evidence for the case”.
“There was no reason for us to keep the body parts because relatives confirmed that they belonged to the old woman,” Ramarikhoane said.
“An 80-year-old woman who was a neighbour to the deceased found her lying dead in a pool of blood and informed the police. When police arrived they found that the woman’s head and hand were missing,” Ramarikhoane said.
The deceased and the woman used to visit one another daily.
“When the other woman realised that she had not seen the woman walking outside that day she decided to go to her house to check on her,” Ramarikhoane added.
The deceased was staying with her 11-year-old grandson who had gone to school when she was murdered.
Her door was broken and police found an axe stained with blood in the house.
The suspect stays in Qacha’s Nek but after the incident he fled to Semonkong where police apprehended him. He remains in police custody awaiting his court appearance.
