Hennops River: South Africa Mystery after police officers have been found dead

The police in South Africa are looking for answers after the bodies of three police officers – who were missing for six days – were found in a river.

Boippelo Senoge, 20 years old, Cebekhulu Linda, 24, and the 30-year-old Keamogets purchases were last seen and left a gas station near Johannesburg last Wednesday.

Their bodies were discovered by divers about 70 km (43 miles) distance in the Hennops River, along with the remains of two other public persons.

The police initially said that they were investigating a case of “possibly hijacking and kidnapping”, but on Tuesday she said not to speculate whether or not the dead were coincidental.

The three police officers – all agents – were driven in a white VW polo when they were missing, said a police statement.

Their vehicle tracking device and mobile phones have since been eliminated.

A search team then spent “sleepless nights with combing the length and width” of the provinces of Gauteng, Free State and Limpopo and eventually found parts of a vehicle “it was assumed to be” a VW Polo, said national police commissioner Fannie Masemola.

A Renault Kangoo bus was then found near the banks of Hennops River, in the municipality of Centurion.

The three officers traveled from Free State to Limpopo when they were missing.

Divers searched that part of the river and recovered five bodies between Monday and Tuesday.

Together with the three agents, the divers found the remains of a police officer, who was not mentioned. The servant had spent the Renault bus, said Gen Masemola.

He added that the fifth body was dissected and had not yet been identified.

The police are still looking for the VW Polo in which the officers traveled.

The search for the missing police officers was closely followed by the South African public and the prayers for the three agents were circulating in social media.

After the bodies were found, loved ones gathered along the shores of the Hennops River and held candles.

In an address on Tuesday, Gen Masemola said: “We do not want to speculate at this stage, which led to the discovery of these bodies in this river, whether it was an accident or not, our investigation will reveal those aspects as soon as we find their vehicle.”

This marks a significant change in tone from Sunday, when the Commissioner said: “We cannot have criminals undermine the authority of the State by kidnapping three police officers. This is just a strict warning for those behind this incident, or you will surrender, or we will get you yourself.”