Remains of man retrieved from paupers’ grave in Limpopo identified

Limpopo police say the remains of a man who had been given paupers burial at Mookgophong Cemetery has been positively identified and handed over to the bereaved family.

In a statement, police say the body was identified through fingerprints and DNA analysis.

The remains of a 32-year-old man who died in a car crash on the N1 near Mookgophong in 2018, were buried in paupers’ burial together with 40 other unknown bodies.

The bodies were buried in two graves without coffins in the past few weeks.

The exhumation was conducted after a family from Mpumalanga approached local police and health authorities.

Police spokesperson Malesela Ledwaba, “The members of police forensics department and local police investigators formed part of the exhumation process as they were the ones who approached the courts to be permitted to do the exhumation process. Although it was difficult and demanding task, the corpse was eventually found amongst the other unknown corpses which were also buried as a pauper after a depressing exhumation process. The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has directed that this unusual discovery be investigated further. The matter is in the hands of the relevant Department of Health and the local Municipality who are working with the police. No arrest has been affected at this stage. Police investigations are continuing.”