UPDATE: Family of missing north teacher conducting ‘own search’
Police conducted investigations which led to the arrest of her boyfriend, but he was later released due to a lack of evidence.
The family of a missing Soshanguve school teacher will continue with their search for her after the police officially closed their investigation, they said this week.
Philile Gumede went missing last year and her brother Sibonelo Gumede said the family had decided to continue their own investigations into her disappearance.
This is despite police telling them the case has been “officially closed”.
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Sibonelo said the family was still hopeful that Gumede was still alive and that she could still be found.
“There are still no new leads and information,” he said.
“We are appealing to community members to help us with any information that can lead to us finding her.”
He said the investigating officer visited the family at their Durban home to tell them that the case would be closed since there were no new leads or information.
Philile has been missing for more than a year now.
She was last seen on April 22 in 2017 at Soshanguve Crossing Mall in the company of her boyfriend.
Police conducted investigations which led to the arrest of her boyfriend, but he was later released due to a lack of evidence.
ALSO READ: Another frantic search for missing Soshanguve teacher proves futile
Gumede was a teacher at the Baleseng primary school in Block L in Soshanguve.
Police said by law, a missing person file was closed after six months.
“If new information emerges, it will be investigated; but the file has to be closed,” said police spokesperson Constable Zanele Mtsweni .
“The case could be revisited depending on what the investigators are able to put together.”
Anyone with information can contact Sibonelo on 078-760-8630 or their nearest police station.
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