According to WO Ramothakhi Maqabe, spokesperson for the Benoni SAPS cluster, one suspect has since been arrested in connection with the crime.
The 27-year-old, who is originally from Mozambique, was arrested when members of the public reported to the Etwatwa SAPS that he was seen pushing a car containing stolen goods.
“The man was taken to the Etwatwa Police Station, where police members were told that there were more stolen items in the shack which he rented,” said Capt Pearl van Staad, Etwatwa Police Station spokesperson.
When he was taken back to his house, he apparently jumped out of the police van and was beaten up by community members, who accused him of being murderer and a thief.
“The landlord, who stays in the same yard as the suspect, showed police that she had found a brown jersey stained with blood and alerted them to a shallow grave behind the shack,” said van Staad.
Police continued to search the shack and the area around it, and found blood inside the building, a bloody jersey, a panga on the roof, and a carpet covered in blood.
“The body in the grave did not seem to have any inflicted wounds and the head of the man has not been found — we are still waiting for the suspect to tell us about it,” said van Staad.
She added that a missing person case has been opened at the police station and the clothing described seems to match that worn by the body, but police members are still investigating the matter.
A case of murder has been opened against the man who was arrested and he is expected to appear in the Daveyton Magistrates Court, soon.
