The body of a missing woman, Mookgo Felli Ramateletse, has been found in the septic tank with multiple stab wounds in her yard in Free State, South Africa.
The remains of 33-year-old Ramateletse were found on Sunday, April 16, almost a week after she was reported missing by her husband.
The provincial police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring, said Ramateletse from Boiketlo Village in Qwaqwa had been missing since April 10, 2023.
The woman is reported to have last spoken to her husband by telephone on the day of her disappearance. However, when he arrived home she was nowhere to be found.
Mophiring said Ramateletse was found with multiple stab wounds to her body.
“The police and Maluti-a-Phofung rescue and fire department retrieved the body of a missing woman, Mookgo Felli Ramateletse, from a septic tank in her yard with multiple stab wounds at about 1.30pm after she was positively identified by her husband, who reported her missing,” he said.
“On Sunday, April 16, 2023, Namahadi police, the Station Commander, Phuthaditjhaba Crime Intelligence, Phuthaditjhaba K9 Unit, Phuthaditjhaba Public Order Police and Namahadi Vispol formed a search team looking for the missing person in the Boiketlo area. Inside her yard, where she was staying and running a business, the police found a pair of slippers and lipstick inside the half-opened septic tank.
“Maluti-a-Phofung Fire and Emergency Medical Services units were immediately summoned to the scene to investigate the septic tank. On their arrival at the scene, they inspected the sewage tank and discovered a woman’s body,” Mophiring said.
Police said the body was identified by her husband, Moeketsi Joseph Ramateletse.
“She was dressed in black track pants and a pink track top. Her upper body had multiple stab wounds. A case of murder is being investigated and no arrest has been made as yet. Police investigations continue,” Mophiring said.
Police have urged anyone with information that could lead to an arrest and conviction of suspects to come forward and contact Namahadi police.