Four bodies were found burnt beyond recognition on the back of a truck, near Harrismith on Monday. File Picture
Harrismith police are investigating a gruesome case where the bodies of four people were found burnt beyond recognition in the back of a truck.
The bodies were found in a truck on the gravel road between Mabate and Tshiame B-Khalanyoni on Monday morning.
Free State police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring said police were summoned to the gravel road at approximately 10am, by a passer-by who noticed a truck burning.
He said the passer-by tried to extinguish the fire but was not successful.
“The passer-by also noticed four human bodies burnt beyond recognition inside the truck and summoned the police to the crime scene.”
Mophiring said preliminary police investigations revealed that the truck belonged to a 35-year-old man from Makwane village in QwaQwa.
He said the man’s identity is known to police.
“It's alleged the man went to Tshiame B in Harrismith to fetch his three children and wife from his sister-in-laws house at around 5.30am on Monday and was taking them back to QwaQwa.”
Police said it is understood that the man fetched his 32-year-old wife, two sons, aged 10 and one-year-old, and daughter, 8, and all five drove off in the truck, but never arrived home.
“Inside the truck, only four bodies were found. An inquest docket has been opened for further investigation, while police are still searching for the fifth person.”
Police have appealed to anyone with information that may assist in finding the fifth person to contact the Harrismith Detective at 082 854 7542, Crime Stop at 08600 10111, or drop an anonymous post on the My Saps App.
IOL News
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