A “spiritual leader” drowned in the OIifants River after promising community members of Machakaneng in Limpopo that he would find a missing boy, who was swept away by the river on December 22.
The healer allegedly told the community the boy was still alive and he needed R13,000 to retrieve him from the river, police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said.
Mojapelo said the community members agreed to give him R10,000 after he retrieved the 12-year-old from the river.
Mojapelo said 30-year-old Mopipi Abraham Phiri entered the water on Friday at about 5pm, but never resurfaced.
It was presumed he had drowned.
“The police were then called and the search and rescue team was activated. His body was today [Sunday] recovered when it emerged from the shallow waters on the river banks, several kilometres from where he got into the water,” he said.
He said the search for the boy, from Machakaneng village, was continuing.
“The human remains that were found by a fisherman in the same river on December 29 2019 are still the subject of DNA examination.”
An inquest docket had been opened.
