LEPOTA Sekola, the Minister of Police and Public Safety has condemned the suspected ritual murder of a 77-year-old Ha Ramabanta woman whose mutilated body was found in the Makhaleng River in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

The deceased’s niece, ’Matšepo Lipooro said her aunt, ’Mataelo Moswatsi of Maphokoane was found in the water with several huge open wounds.

“Although the family is still waiting for postmortem results, the open wounds on her body indicate that she had been cut with a very sharp object and clearly some of her organs had been removed,” she said, adding that they still have no idea as to what could have happened to the old lady.

Mrs Lipooro said the previous day (on Friday), all members of the family including herself, had attended a feast in the village.

“When we left the feast, I forgot my handbag behind and I only realised that later when I arrived home, so I had to go back to collect it,” she said.

''Later when I returned home, granny was not there and we all started looking for her but no avail. The search went on until after midnight when we stopped.

“Her body was later found in the river with gashing open wounds and seemingly missing organs,” she reiterated.