Body found not SA woman's

2008-09-03 16:26

Dubai - The family of a South African woman who went missing in Dubai 13 days ago have been assured that a body found in the desert is not hers, a relative said on Wednesday.

Kurt Winter, the brother of Kerry Winter, 35, who went missing on August 20, was shocked to read a story in a local newspaper indicating that a body found in the desert was likely to be his sister's, he said on Wednesday.

"Getting up this morning and hearing that was distressing, but we have been in contact with the police and they have assured us that it was not Kerry," he said.

Kerry had not been seen since neighbours spotted her being assaulted and shoved into the back of her car, allegedly by her ex-boyfriend, a Briton currently in police custody.

The local Khaleej Times reported that the body found on Monday off Dubai-Al Ain Road by a motorist was likely to be Kerry's. According to police forensic tests were being carried out to establish the identity.

Meanwhile, Winter said the family was struggling to understand the way the local police worked and had also experienced difficulty communicating with them due to the language barrier.

"We don't understand the culture and we don't speak Arabic... it has been a challenge," he said.

The family had been hoping for more support from the South African government.

"The British (representing Kerry's ex-boyfriend) have sent a representative who can speak Arabic. Our representative can't speak the language... I would have thought that foreign affairs would contact authorities here to assist us better," he said.

A prayer meeting was scheduled at Dubai's St Mary's church on Wednesday afternoon. On Friday volunteers would gather at the Mall of the Emirates to co-ordinate the continued search for Kerry.

- SAPA