Yet another murder scene revealed the beaten, lifeless bodies of a woman and a man in Mbekweni on Saturday morning.
A passerby found the bodies dumped in the stormwater drain between Ring Road and Project 3. The victims were identified as Leonie Jesmine Arendse (26) and a Mozambican, known as Kiddo.
Mbekweni police spokesperson WO Nceba Vanqa said two charges of murder are being investigated.
“A complaint was received of two dumped bodies in a ditch at Ring Road between Project 3 and New Drommedaris Houses. On arrival two bodies, one female and a male, were seen in the ditch.”
They were found near a gas container, the owner of which was informed by the passerby who first made the discovery.
Vanqa painted a picture of the man’s body, stripped naked and submerged in water, while the woman’s trousers were pulled down and her body curled up on the bank of the ditch.
Both victims showed evidence of serious injuries to their upper bodies.
“There were strangle marks observed on the female, while the man’s face and head was swollen and deformed. Blood and drag marks trailed from the gas container next to a mechanic workshop. A drinking glass, denim jeans, underwear and a single sock, presumed to be the male’s, were also found strewn on the crime scene.”
First-hand witness statements were not available to police investigating the crime scene.
However, speculation from an anonymous community member suggests that the victims were confronted by robbers the night before.
“I heard they were drinking at a shebeen nearby. On their way home, some junkies allegedly approached them and tried to rob them. They wanted to fight back and were overpowered, murdered and their bodies dumped there,” the source explained.
Their remains were taken by mortuary services for a post-mortem to be conducted. This would be the second murder scene to puzzle passersby in Mbekweni in a matter of two weeks.
Paarl Post reported on a scene where a young woman’s body was found next to Jan van Riebeeck Drive on Tuesday (30 May). Her body was found lying in a shallow tunnel underneath the road and lower body stripped naked.
Vanqa said a post-mortem was conducted to determine whether she had been raped before being left for dead.
To date, no one reported a missing person that might lead to the woman’s identity or circumstances surrounding her death. The post-mortem results in this case are still pending.
