A DECOMPOSED body discovered in the bushes of Livingstone has been identified as that of a Chinese national who was reported missing almost a month ago.
Police in Southern Province have confirmed that the body, which was found on July 31, 2025, in a bushy area near Ndeke, behind Shungu Namutitima School, belongs to Shi Shengfang, a 57-year-old Chinese farmer of Mukuni Village in Kazungu District who went missing on July 4.
According to the police, the body was found by a young woman, Diniwe Sakala, aged 23 of Airport Compound, who was out in the bush fetching firewood with friends around 10:00 hours when she made the shocking discovery.
Police officers from Airport Police Post rushed to the scene and found the body lying on the ground, already in an advanced state of decomposition.
The woman was dressed in grey checked trousers and a black top, with two blankets, one brown and one purple, was found nearby.
Southern Province deputy police commanding officer Moono Namalongo said the Livingstone City Council Public Health Department was called in and the body was collected and buried at Nakatindi Cemetery, with the grave marked for a post-mortem examination.
The following day, investigators went through evidence collected from the scene, including photographs of the body, clothing, hair and a ring.
Officers noted that the hair appeared to be of Asian origin, prompting further suspicion.
Police then invited the daughter of the missing woman, Wang Qiuyi, aged 24, to view the photos.
She positively identified the body as that of her mother, based on the hairstyle, clothing and ring that was on the deceased’s finger.
“The human hair observed on the body appeared to be of Asian origin,” stated Namalongo.
Police have since launched a manhunt for a male farm worker who was last seen with the deceased before her disappearance.
He is now considered a person of interest in the ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, authorities say investigations are continuing and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
By George Musonda
Kalemba August 3, 2025
