*This story has been updated.
A Khayelitsha family is fearing the worst after a missing teenage girl’s wig was found in a neighbour’s home.
Sinovuyo Magatya, 18, went out drinking with her friends on Sunday night.
Her tjommie claims she left the teen at the Zwezwe shebeen.
Yesterday afternoon Harare police officers were at the man’s shack, searching for clues.
Curious residents looked on as the police collected evidence, one item found was a 12-inch (30cm) brown wig.
Cops asked the man – who was kneeling on the ground and in handcuffs – about the hairpiece and he claimed it belonged to his girlfriend.
The police then called the missing girl’s uncle Wele Dyongo, 46, who told the Daily Voice: “Her friends who were close to the scene say that is Sinovuyo’s wig that she was wearing on the day of her disappearance.
“In that man’s shack, a bloody towel was found and under his bed there was blood and he had scratches on his neck and face.”
Sinovuyo was seen with the suspect on the night of her disappearance.
Her friend tells the Daily Voice it was only on Monday morning that she found out that she was missing.
“After her mom told me she didn’t come home, we went to check around the shebeen where we were drinking and then we were told that her phone was found near the suspect’s shack.
“We went to ask him so we could find out what exactly happened and he told us that they left together from the tavern but she met up with another guy and he left her and went to sleep.”
The teen explains that they continued to search for her friend.
“At the time we didn’t know about the blood that was under his bed.
“Someone said they remembered a girl screaming in the middle of Sunday night, but then she refused to say anything else. She said she didn’t want to be part of any investigation.”
Yesterday morning the police went to the suspect’s home and cuffed him.
Sinovuyo’s mom Nomfundo Magatya, 64, says all she wants is to find her missing daughter.
“I want to find her even if it is her corpse because I don’t know if she has been killed or if she is still alive,” she says.
“I don’t sleep anymore because I don’t know where she is.”
Sinovuyo was last seen wearing a wig, bucket hat, a purple crop top and navy jeans.
SAPS’ Nosiphiwo Mtengwane confirms that a suspect has been taken in for questioning: “The police are investigating a case of kidnapping.”
UPDATE
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi says a 30-year-old man has been taken into custody after Sinovuyo’s body was found late on Thursday.
“Be advised that after the body of a women was found, a 30-year old-male was arrested and detained.
“The kidnapping case will now be change to murder. Once charged, he will appear in the Khayelitsha Magistrate court on a charge of murder. The matter is under investigation,” he says.