Public asked to help solve riddle of dead man’s identity

THE remains of an unknown man, whose body was found in a patch of veld in Windhoek North earlier this month, are still lying unidentified in the Police Mortuary in Windhoek.

This is hindering the investigation into his death. With the remains of the man still unidentified and unclaimed, the Namibian Police yesterday asked for public assistance to help them establish who he was.The deceased appeared to have been a neat dresser, and might have been murdered some time around the middle to the end of April.His decomposing remains were found in a veld next to the new Khomas Regional Council offices, to the east of Hosea Kutako Avenue in Windhoek North on May 3.The remains were found on a piece of plastic bubble-wrap and had been covered with some branches, while a black plastic refuse bag had been pulled over the lower part of his body.The body was also wrapped inside a pink bed-frill sheet.The deceased was wearing a pair of well-polished black leather boots, a neat pair of brown trousers, a blue, collared shirt, as well as a beige t-shirt and a white t-shirt with a photograph of popular musician, Shaggy, with HIV-AIDS warning on it.Two peaked caps – one blue, with a patch in the shape of the African continent stitched to the side of it, the other a white Adidas cap – were also found wrapped up in the bedsheet with the body.Also found at the scene was N$260 in cash, which had been tucked into the dead man’s underpants.The Commanding Officer of the Police’s Serious Crime Unit, Detective Chief Inspector Nelius Becker, said yesterday that the body may have been placed at the scene about one to two weeks before it was found.He said the cause of the man’s death was still uncertain, but that it was being investigated as having been an unnatural death.He said the investigation would be greatly helped if the Police could establish the man’s identity.It appeared that the person had been a black or coloured man, Becker said.He added that the pink sheet in which the body had been wrapped might prove to be an especially helpful lead, and appealed to anyone who might recognise it to contact the Police.The sheet has small patterned pictures of blue and pink trains on its one side; on the other, it has a quilt-like stitched pattern.Becker asked people with information that might assist the Police to contact him at (cellphone) 081 129 9215, or Detective Constable William Dax at 081 245 9199, or to contact any Police station with their information.With the remains of the man still unidentified and unclaimed, the Namibian Police yesterday asked for public assistance to help them establish who he was.The deceased appeared to have been a neat dresser, and might have been murdered some time around the middle to the end of April.His decomposing remains were found in a veld next to the new Khomas Regional Council offices, to the east of Hosea Kutako Avenue in Windhoek North on May 3.The remains were found on a piece of plastic bubble-wrap and had been covered with some branches, while a black plastic refuse bag had been pulled over the lower part of his body.The body was also wrapped inside a pink bed-frill sheet.The deceased was wearing a pair of well-polished black leather boots, a neat pair of brown trousers, a blue, collared shirt, as well as a beige t-shirt and a white t-shirt with a photograph of popular musician, Shaggy, with HIV-AIDS warning on it.Two peaked caps – one blue, with a patch in the shape of the African continent stitched to the side of it, the other a white Adidas cap – were also found wrapped up in the bedsheet with the body.Also found at the scene was N$260 in cash, which had been tucked into the dead man’s underpants.The Commanding Officer of the Police’s Serious Crime Unit, Detective Chief Inspector Nelius Becker, said yesterday that the body may have been placed at the scene about one to two weeks before it was found.He said the cause of the man’s death was still uncertain, but that it was being investigated as having been an unnatural death.He said the investigation would be greatly helped if the Police could establish the man’s identity.It appeared that the person had been a black or coloured man, Becker said.He added that the pink sheet in which the body had been wrapped might prove to be an especially helpful lead, and appealed to anyone who might recognise it to contact the Police.The sheet has small patterned pictures of blue and pink trains on its one side; on the other, it has a quilt-like stitched pattern.Becker asked people with information that might assist the Police to contact him at (cellphone) 081 129 9215, or Detective Constable William Dax at 081 245 9199, or to contact any Police station with their information.