A family member visiting a Limpopo cemetery to clean the gravesite of a loved one in preparation for an upcoming unveiling of the tombstone made the shock discovery that the grave was dug open and the corpse stolen.

Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said officers at Mokwakwaila in the Mopani district have launched an investigation.

The alarm was raised by the family member on Sunday. “The police, upon arriving at the scene, discovered an open coffin with no corpse inside,” Mojapelo said.

“A preliminary probe conducted at the scene established that the suspect(s) accessed the graveyard by cutting the side fence. They then dug a hole next to the grave to gain access to the coffin and stole the corpse.”

Modike Phillemon Masedi died on January 15 2022 and was buried seven days later.

“The motive is unknown at this stage,” Mojapelo said.

Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe has expressed shock and ordered that the perpetrator(s) be brought to book.

“We call on community members to respect the unfolding investigations conducted by the police and desist from pointing fingers as these often play into instigators of vigilantism, in which people take the law into their own hands,” Hadebe said.

Cases of violation of a grave and theft were opened. Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation can contact Detective Commander W/O Nthai Modjadji on 060 996 0062 or 015 386 9940, or Crime Stop 08600 10111. Alternatively, they can visit their nearest police station or use MySAPS App.

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