/ 18 July 2005

Police shocked by gruesome murder in Welkom

Detectives are investigating the murder of a woman who was hacked to death with a garden spade, Free State police said on Monday.

Police were working around the clock to find the murderer, said Inspector Stephen Thakeng.

The body of the 40-year-old woman was found at midnight on Saturday in front of a house in Marico Street at Saaiplaas in Virginia.

”The police were informed about the incident and on their arrival a woman was found. Her head as well as her face was chopped with a garden spade several times beyond recognition,” Thakeng said.

He said the woman was also stabbed several times with a sharpened wooden stick.

The suspect or suspects were still at large on Monday but police are following-up leads.

Thakeng said the investigating officers were shocked by the ”gruesome” murder and would do everything in their power to bring the perpetrators to book. – Sapa