The body of a man who went missing on Tuesday last week was found under mysterious circumstances, floating in a dam at Itsani, near Thohoyandou, two days later.

The deceased was later identified as Lufuno Raymond Ramanugu (23) of Tshisaulu.

Thohoyandou police were already investigating a missing person case, following his disappearance. The circumstances that led to his death were still sketchy at the time of going to press.

The gruesome discovery was made by a villager who was going to work on Thursday morning. This brings to six the number of people who have been found in the dam in the past few years. The dam came into being when contractors dug up soil for the construction of the local road many years ago. When rain falls, it fills the holes with water, resulting in motionless water coming together in the same place.

The villager who discovered the floating body said: "I was passing near the dam and I saw something floating. It immediately caught my attention and I went nearer. I realized that it was a human being and I called community members to the scene. We then called the police, who arrived at the scene minutes later."

When Mirror arrived at the scene, a huge crowd had gathered to witness while members of the emergency services were retrieving the body from the muddy and smelly water. The man was wearing a black pair of trousers, a red t-shirt and he had no shoes on. The outer skin on his stomach was pale as a result of the damage from the water. His face was swollen, arousing the suspicion that he might have been assaulted before he was dumped in the water. He was examined at the scene and all his body parts were there.

Regional SAPS spokesperson Capt Mashudu Malelo said police have opened an inquest docket following the incident.