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A PLUMTREE man was found dead in a dam in a case of suspected suicide, days after escaping from police custody facing indecent assault charges.
The deceased was identified as Git Mhlanga (32) of Tokwana Village under Headman Sitaudze in Chief Masendu’s area.
Mhlanga had been arrested on indecent assault allegations and was charged with indecent assault, awaiting court appearance.
He was accused of fondling a nurse’s buttocks at a bottle store in Plumtree.
Mhlanga’s body was found floating at Godo Dam in Tokwana Village.
Sources close to the incident implicated two police officers and the nurse who was indecently assaulted. However, a post mortem detailed that Mhlanga succumbed to suffocation in water.
Matabeleland South Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele rubbished murder allegations and said they were not true.
“A man was found dead, floating in a dam in Tokwana Village, Plumtree post mortem attributed his cause of death to asphyxia, which is suffocation by drowning. The post mortem does not link the case to murder,” said Chief Inspector Ndebele.
Sources said the deceased escaped police custody and a search team was dispatched but could not locate him.
He was allegedly found floating in the dam with stones stuffed in the pockets of his jackets.
Police dismissed social media messages circulating on Whatsapp accusing the nurse and officers, whose names are being withheld for ethical reasons, of killing Mhlanga and dumping him in a dam.
“People must desist from taking as truth everything posted on social media. It is wise to seek verification first before incriminating people,” he said.
“Speculation is bad as some of these unconfirmed reports end up fuelling hatred between members of the public and the police force. We are there to serve the public and we are free to talk to the public and assist in any cases involving crime as members of the force.
“We must all use our discretion before forwarding some social media messages and think of the implications,” said Chief Inspector Ndebele.
In another incident, a 24-year-old man committed suicide in police cells after allegedly axing his girlfriend to death.
Zibusiso Kandiwani, a miner at King Rich Mine in Matopo, frenziedly stabbed Thubelihle Ncube (18) five times with an Okapi knife and axed her as many times on the head and back on Tuesday around 5 pm.
Sources said he left the axe stuck in Ncube’s face and finished her off with a brick.
Ncube’s siblings aged 12 and eight years allegedly witnessed the callous killing, which occurred in her father’s bedroom where she had fled when Kandiwani became violent.
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