Cape Town – Eastern Cape police have launched a manhunt following the murder of the University of Fort Hare academic, Professor Judith Masters and her French-born partner Fabien Génin, reports said.
Reports said that the retired couple was found murdered in their Hogsback home on Monday morning.
Their lifeless bodies were discovered by their domestic worker in their room. They had their hands and feet tried up, reported News24 reported.
According to Eastern Cape police spokesperson, Captain Siphokazi Mawisa, the suspects allegedly forced their entry through the kitchen door, the report said.
The domestic worker said that the couple’s computers were missing.
“The domestic worker is in a highly traumatic state. She could not give full details but our crime experts have gone back to the scene today to resume work and also to see what else is missing from the house,” the report quoted Mawisa as saying.
A report by The Citizen said that a post-mortem would determine the cause of death, as no visible injuries were found on the deceased.
Police were investigating two cases of murders and house robbery, the report said.
“Anyone with information that can assist police in arresting the suspect/s can contact SAPS Hogsback on 045 962 1030 or alternatively SAPS Crime Stop on 086 001 0111 or the nearest police station. All information is confidential and callers may remain anonymous,” the report quoted Mawisa as saying.
The couple were globally and nationally recognised primatologists and worked together on a number of initiatives at the university for the ecology and speciation research unit before they left last year, the report said.
East London Museum took to social media to convey its condolences and described the couple’s death as “devastating”.
“The director, staff, and board of the East London Museum extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends, colleagues, and many former students of brilliant, internationally renowned researchers. A huge loss for the South African academic and research communities,” the museum wrote on its Facebook page.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: Facebook/ Associazione Primatologi Italiani API
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
