Woman murdered – police need help

The police are appealing to anyone who can help them with information that can lead to the arrest and successful prosecution of the person or people responsible for the gruesome murder of Ms Munyaliwa Phalanndwa.

According to the police's provincial spokesperson, Lt-Col Moatshe Ngoepe, the lifeless body of Phalanndwa (36), was found by a passer-by on Saturday morning at around 09.30. Ngoepe said that the body was found "through a pass on a hill between Phalama and Tshilamba residential area." He added that she was found with multiple stab wounds all over her body.

Members of the community who gathered at the scene on Saturday morning expressed shock and dismay about the murder. It was revealed that Phalanndwa, from Vuvha village, some few kilometres away from the scene of the crime, had alighted from a taxi on Friday afternoon after coming from Thohoyandou.

"She was a very good and friendly person. She was never a troublesome person, except that you would often see her enjoying liquor here at Tshilamba while dancing to music," said one community member who was at the scene.

Some said a screaming voice was heard during the night, not too far away from the deceased’s original home at Phalama. The police also confirmed that Phalanndwa's shoes were found 500 meters away from where her body was found. 

Following rumours by gossipmongers that Phalanndwa was another victim of ritual murder, Ngoepe was quick to stress that there was no evidence of parts missing from her body.

When police, paramedics and family members assessed her tiny body, which was covered by white cloth, only a pool of blood that seemed to have come from an injury sustained on her upper body was visible.

At the time of our going to press, there was no clear information about her date of burial, although some suggested that it was planned for this weekend.

Date:09 September 2017

By: Ndivhuwo Musetha

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