“It is Theophilus Tshivhi’s remains ...”

DNA tests done on the remains of a body found in the mountains near Maname village proved that it is that of Theophilus Tshivhi, the 11-year-old boy who disappeared from his home in Madombidzha in January 2012.

Theophilus, at that stage a Grade 4 pupil at the Tshilwavhusiku Primary School, dominated the news headlines in 2012. He went missing on 17 January that year after accompanying a neighbouring family to a mountain in Nzhelele. The neighbour, who is also a traditional healer, allegedly asked the boy to accompany her and her husband to the village, where they planned to collect traditional herbs. Their two granschildren accompanied them, as well as a friend from Johannesburg.

A day after the boy went missing, the traditional healer and her husband filed a missing person’s report at the Siloam police station. This was before they notified the young boy’s family of his disappearance. Theophilus’s family then decided to also open a case of kidnapping with the police, stating that they had not been notified and had not given permission for the boy to be taken away. Five suspects were arrested and charged with kidnapping but were later released because the Director of Public Prosecutions cited a lack of evidence to hold them.

Family members and friends searched all over for the boy, but to no avail. The police even offered a reward of R25 000 for information on the whereabouts of the boy and the successful conviction of whoever had taken him.

After the boy’s disappearance, a rumour spread like wildfire that the man who had left with him had killed him for muti purposes. The rumour left the community in a frenzy, with people destroying property and engaging in acts of violence. The subsequent release of the five suspects further angered the community, and a while later one of the suspects’ house and a car were set alight at Madombidzha.

In November last year, the remains of a body were found in the mountains near Maname, which the parents believed to be that of Theophilus. According to his father, Mr Takalani Mabushe, the bones were discovered beneath some shrubs. They could identify some pieces of clothing next to the bones, which they believed were worn by the boy when he disappeared. The bones were sent away for forensic analysis.

The Siloam SAPS spokesperson, W/O Edward Tharaga, confirmed that the bones were found at the mountain near Maname and that these were sent away for tests. He said that the police had now closed the missing person's file and changed it to an inquest into the death of the boy.

The spokesperson for the family, Mr Edwin Bugana, said that they wanted the police to rearrest the suspects. They were also awaiting the results of the forensic tests to find out what had caused the death of the boy.

The remains of the boy will be buried on Saturday at Madombidzha.

Date:07 September 2015

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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