The 31-year-old son of the head of the police’s presidential protection service has been found dead weeks after his disappearance.
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Warren Rhoode was last seen alive when he went to visit a friend in Eindhoven, Delft on 23 April.
He was driving a black VW Polo Vivo with a faded bonnet and the registration number CN 70 VF GP which is yet to be recovered.
He is the son of Major-General Wally Rhoode who has been embroiled in the Farmgate scandal after revealing the alleged roles played by the president and his Namibian counterpart, Hage Geingob, in the aftermath of the multi-million dollar Phala Phala farm theft to the public protector.
A relative, Quinton Rhoode, told the Cape Argus that the family had no details about what had happened.
‘At the moment we have no idea what actually happened to Warren, we will probably get more tomorrow (Monday) or on Tuesday. I don’t know what to say to you, yet. His body was found in Delft, where he said he was going.’
Western Cape Missing Person’s Unit founder Candice van der Rheede confirmed to IOL that Warren’s body was at the Tygerberg mortuary.
‘I received a call from the family saying they found him. They had been at the morgue before but didn’t find the body but when they went again they found him there. I also don’t have the details around the murder and where exactly he was found in Delft but I can confirm that he was positively identified.’
Meanwhile, councillor Nobanathi Matutu said she had put word out to the Eindhoven community.
‘Last week there was a body which was found in the area and I thought it could be him.’
‘I asked around but no one knew who he was,’ she stated
‘I’m concerned about the crime in Eindhoven, there are too many hijackings and murders. We would like to see more police and law enforcement patrol here, every day there is an incident involving violence.’
‘And I would also like to alert people about gangsterism, when gangsters don’t recognise you they will take advantage, please be vigilant when visiting Eindhoven.’
SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe added that national commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, has ordered the case be prioritised.
‘A case of murder has been registered and Western Cape detectives are working around the clock to investigate and apprehend those responsible for this heinous crime.’
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Picture: GroundUp / Mary-Anne Gontsana