Five bodies now retrieved in Hennops River as search for missing Free State police officers turns grisly

Police have now recovered a fifth body - that of a female - in the Hennops River.

Search and recovery operations are still underway as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Earlier retrieved four other bodies in the river as the search for the missing police officers took a twist on Tuesday.

On Tuesday morning, police confirmed that three bodies were retrieved from the Hennops River in Centurion, near Tshwane, and police are working to check if they are linked to the three members of the SA Police Service (SAPS) who vanished mysteriously last week.

National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe emphasised that the identities of the  bodies found in the river have not been confirmed.

"The SAPS confirms that its investigation has brought it to the Hennops River in Centurion along the N1. We have three bodies so far, whose identities are yet to be confirmed," said Mathe.

"We are searching for another body, and for any other evidence that will assist us in concluding the case of the missing police officers."

While not confirmed, it believed that the bodies may be that of the missing police officers, 20-year-old Constable Boipelo Senoge, 24-year-old Constable Cebekhulu Linda and 30-year-old Constable Keamogetswe Buys.

They were last seen in the early hours of Thursday, at a petrol station near the Grasmere toll gate on the N1 in Gauteng.

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The South African Police Service and private security companies were at the scene, with police insisting the search operation for the missing officers is still underway.

On Sunday, IOL reported that national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola announced a R350,000 reward for information which can lead to the three missing police officers being found.

Masemola addressed journalists in Bloemfontein, flanked by senior officials including Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae and deputy national police commissioner for crime detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya.

"We are hopeful and we will find whoever is behind this. We will definitely make sure that we do not rest. On that score, we have put out a reward of R350,000 for any information on the whereabouts of our members, and the whereabouts of those criminals that are behind the disappearance of our own," he said.

IOL has previously reported that the three police officers' last known location was the Engen fuel station in Gauteng, on the N1 on Thursday. When the vehicle they were travelling in left the fuel station, the vehicle tracking device and cellphones were switched off.

The trio was travelling in a Volkswagen Polo hatchback with registration number JCL 401 FS.

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

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