Four murders linked to raped girl's dad

2011-03-27 22:39

Durban - A single person could be behind the deaths of four men whose hacked bodies were recently found near each other in Durban, the Sunday Tribune reported.

Lieutenant Colonel Anton Booysen said he was convinced the same person was behind the attacks in Yellowood Park, Lamontville and Umbilo. Three of the attacks took place between last Sunday and Wednesday.

"We have five cases confirmed and linked, with four people dead and one survivor. There might be more."

Police were investigating the possibility the alleged attacker was taking revenge against a gang he suspected raped his daughter.

Last Tuesday, a 37-year-old man was walking home from Mobeni Heights when he noticed a car following him. A man jumped out the car and reportedly said to him: "Did you know we would ever meet? Why did you rape my daughter and give her HIV? You destroyed her future."

The man told the newspaper the stranger then lunged at him with an axe, aiming at his torso. He managed to escape and opened a case of attempted murder.

Head found in dustbin

That same evening, 46-year-old Paulos "Ndodo" Hlongwa's body was found in Merebank. His head was found in a dustbin about two kilometres away.

A few days later, two other partially decomposed bodies were found nearby.

"In Montclair, a victim was found just about decapitated. His head was hanging by nothing more than a nerve," Booysen said.

"There was also a fourth victim whose head was chopped at, but not completely decapitated."

A body found two weeks ago in the same area was linked to the recent attacks.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Brigadier Phindile Radebe could only confirm that Hlongwa's body and two other bodies had been found during the week.

"The bodies were found in Umbilo, Lamontville and Montclaire," she told Sapa.

She would not discuss other details reported in the newspaper.

"All I can say is we have an investigations team working on it."

- SAPA