Keys to murder found on skeleton

2003-02-04 17:59

Johannesburg - The skeleton of a man who was murdered 17 years ago was exhumed on Tuesday from his own garden in Soweto and the murdered man's father was arrested, police reported.

Inspector Mbazima Shiburi said the dead man was reported missing by his family in 1986 shortly after he had an argument with his father over a borrowed radio.

According to other family members the young man was stabbed to death before being buried in his father's garden.

Police arrested the father on a charge of murder.

Family members were present to point out the gravesite to forensic experts who exhumed the skull, upper rib cage, both legs and numerous small bones. The partial skeleton was dressed in a T-shirt, still in good condition, and trousers.

Before the dig began, the family members said the remains could be identified by a bunch of keys he was carrying.

When the skeleton was exhumed the keys were found in a trouser pocket.

Shiburi said the arrested man, who was a preacher at the Methodist church in Chiawelo, Soweto, would be held in custody while investigations continued.

Shiburi was unable to say at this stage of the investigation why it had taken so long for the location of the body to be reported to police.

- SAPA