Own Correspondent

Police here have recovered the body of a suspected border jumper who drowned in the Limpopo River while illegally crossing between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The body was found in an advanced state of decomposition.

Locals in Beitbridge claim that several people have been washed away by the heavily flooded river indicating that more bodies are likely to be found downstream of the river.

Officer commanding Beitbridge District, Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo said police were yet to get official reports on the drownings and that most information was filtering through the grapevine and these were being investigated.

“We have been hearing rumours, but it is very difficult to establish the facts without anyone reporting on the cases or location,” he said.

“However, so far we have one case of drowning that occurred at an illegal crossing point near Panda Mine.

“We have retrieved the body of a man who was spotted trapped between rocks by a villager who was looking for his donkeys along the Limpopo River on December 17.”

Chief Supt Nyongo said the naked corpse had been taken to Beitbridge District Hospital for a post-mortem.

He said the remains were found trapped some 20 metres from the Limpopo River.

“The body of the unidentified man was retrieved at the advanced state of decomposition and indications are that he could have drowned while crossing the flooded Limpopo River,” said the senior police officer.