MAEBANE – A woman and three of her children are the main suspects in the gruesome murder of a local secondary school teacher. The mutilated body of the 47-year-old Mr Abel Siphuma of the Luvhivhini Secondary School at Maebane in the Kutama area was found at about 10:00 in a bag in the field on Monday.

According to the police, numerous chop and stab wounds were found on Mr Sipuma’s body.

A 41-year-old woman, her 20-year old daughter and sons aged 22 and 16, were arrested by the police at Tshilwavhusiku on Monday afternoon in connection with the murder. When going to press on Thursday, they were still to appear in court in connection with the incident.

It is suspected that he was killed at the house and his body was put into an 80kg mealie bag and then left in the field. According to a police report, he was killed shortly after midnight on Sunday.

A spokesperson for the police said that several pangas that were allegedly used in the murder were found in the suspects’ house.

The local community and education fraternity received the news about the murder with shock. Pupils at Luvhivhini were sent home early on Monday and according to reports some of the pupils will receive coun-selling to help them cope with the gruesome death of a beloved teacher.

Mr Siphuma was a popular language teacher at the school and amongst others, he taught Tshivenda and Afrikaans for the Grade 8, 9 and 11 learners.

The funeral will be held at the Maebane cemetery tomorrow (Saturday).