The police believe that a limb discovered in a shanty in Ramora Street, Galeshewe, could have been dislodged due to ‘an advanced stage of decomposition’ following the death of 49-year-old Lazarus Ikaneng Thomas.
THE POLICE believe that a limb discovered in a shanty in Ramora Street, Galeshewe, could have been dislodged due to “an advanced stage of decomposition” following the death of 49-year-old Lazarus Ikaneng Thomas.
Family members suspect that Thomas was murdered, as his naked body was found wrapped in a blanket with the door to his shanty bolted shut with a padlock and chain from the outside.
Questions have been raised about how his death could be classified as natural when one of his hands appeared to be severed from his body.
Additionally, family members pointed out that the shanty was left accessible to the public after the body was removed on September 5
They also cited a lack of support and communication from the police.
LGQBTI activists Apostle Shaine Griqua and Tebogo Makwati from the D’Gayle Diamonds organisation described the circumstances surrounding Thomas’s death as mysterious and called for a thorough investigation.
“Initial reports from the family indicate that the police failed to collect essential evidence at the alleged crime scene. A crucial piece of evidence, a hand, was only collected two days after the body was found. There are alarming indications that Pankie (Thomas) may have been murdered, with sources suggesting he was choked and strangled,” they stated.
The activists added that the bereaved family was left to navigate the aftermath of the tragedy without any engagement from law enforcement agencies.
“This neglect has compounded their grief as they seek answers about the circumstances surrounding Pankie’s death. Adding to the distress, a neighbour recorded a video of Pankie while he was still alive, in which he was heard calling for help. This video was posted on social media the day after his body was discovered, raising further questions about the timeline and the response to his distress.”
Griqua and Makwati expressed concern that “no proper forensic work was conducted” and that the crime scene remained accessible to the public after the body was removed.
“The LGBTQI+ community, along with Pankie’s family and friends, will not rest until justice is served. We demand transparency, communication and a commitment to resolving this case,” they said.
Meanwhile, the DA Northern Cape spokesperson for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Reinette Liebenberg, questioned whether Thomas’s death could indeed have been due to natural causes, given the indications of potential foul play.
“Thomas’s death has sparked concern amongst the LGBTQI+ community regarding safety issues. Their concerns, coupled with reports that the police failed to collect proper fingerprint evidence and neglected to cordon off the scene, is cause for concern,” said Liebenberg.
She added that she had written to the provincial commissioner, Koliswa Otola, requesting that the case be urgently reviewed.
“The way in which the police investigation was handled must be investigated. Thomas deserves justice in death, his family deserves closure and the greater LGBTQI+ community deserves the assurance that their community is safe from perpetrators of violent crimes,” Liebenberg stated.
SAPS spokesperson Colonel Cherelle Ehlers indicated that the police in Galeshewe had opened an inquest docket.
“An inquest is investigated to establish the cause of death and how it came about. The post-mortem results indicate that the deceased died of natural causes,” said Ehlers.
“Due to the advanced stage of decomposition, it is possible that a body part may have been dislodged.”
She explained that the scene was processed by relevant SAPS role-players.
