Father and son were hacked to death and body parts were cut off

Police are investigating a case of double murder after a farmer and his son were found dead in a mountainous area near Mount Fletcher last week with vital body parts missing.

The farmer, 60, and his son, 25, who cannot be named as not all their family members have been notified, were hacked to death. The father’s body was found buried in a shallow grave, with his severed head placed next to his feet. His tongue had been removed.

Maluti police spokesman Lieutenant Raphael Motloung said the two bodies were found last Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. Both had been missing for a couple of days at that point.

“It was a gruesome murder to have happened in this area. We can confirm that some vital body parts were missing from both deceased but postmortem results will be able to reveal what really happened,” said Motloung.

The two were from Gobho village, a farming community between Ugie and Mount Fletcher.

The double murder has shocked the villagers, who believe the crimes were committed by people harvesting human body parts for muti purposes.

Village headman Sipho Mtsali said the killings have left villagers devastated.

“We just cannot believe how these people have died. It’s shocking murders that have puzzled my people and we strongly believe that this was for muti purposes,” said Mtsali.

Motloung said the farmer went missing on November 12 and his cellphone was switched off. Apparently he was staying in the mountains with his herdsman, who reported him as missing. The son reportedly went searching for his father when he did not return home after eight days.

“The son was worried that his father was not coming back home and decided to visit the area to check for him,” said Motloung.

However, the son did not return either and this left villagers worried.

Mtsali called the police.

“When we were searching, the farmer’s body was found badly mutilated, buried under shrubs. The head was missing but was later found next to his feet.”

With the help of police, villagers wrapped the body and transported it on the back of a donkey. They walked for three hours to reach houses.

The following day, on Thursday, the search continued and the son’s body was found next to a river stream.

“You could see that the tongue was not there, the right arm was missing and the throat slit wide open. We just shocked,” said Mtsali.

Villager Lindile Morosi claimed it was not the first such incident in the area.

“This is pure muti killing. Where’s the arm, where’s the tongue? They will use this for muti. In 2008 a woman was killed here and her body parts were removed,” he said.

Walter Sisulu University School of Social Sciences and Development Studies Professor Brenda Beukman said such incidents are caused by belief and hardships.

“People are always looking for this extraordinary power to overcome things and believe that harvesting specific body parts will help them. Also, people are desperate and the hardship lead to this,” said Beukman.

Maluti farmers association leader Funizizwe Zweni called for a speedy investigation before another farmer is killed.

No livestock was taken from the deceased.