HERALD

ILORIN. One of the white farmers from Zimbabwe working in Kwara State, Mr James Chisohm, was mysteriously found dead beside a stream in Labintan Village in Asa at the weekend.

Informed sources told Vanguard that the deceased had earlier sent his workers to get him drinkable water.

On their return, the source said, the boys could not locate 63-year-old Chisohm, prompting the launch of a search party.

The search, which started on Friday, continued till Saturday and they eventually discovered Chisohm’s corpse in the village.

On Sunday, Kwara State Police Command confirmed the development.

According to police public relations officer Dabo Ezekiel: "The Kwara State Police Command wishes to announce to the general public the death of a white Zimbabwean farmer.

"The deceased Zimbabwean farmer, Hamish James Chisohm aged 63, was confirmed dead on Saturday at about 12:06hrs after a severe search.

"Hamish James Chisohm, the deceased Zimbabwean farmer, Sunday, Baba Azeez, Elemosho and Seyi Adedo-kun, all of Starch Mill Farm, went to measure the land and set the boundary.

"At a stage, Hamish sent them to get him water from the office and later directed them to meet him at another location of the farm. When they came back with the water at the said location, Hamish was nowhere to be found."

Dabo continued: "A search party was put in place to go round the farm to look for him, but the search proved abortive. On 10 April 2010, the search resumed and about 12:06hrs of the same date, the body was found dead by the side of a stream in Labintan Village."

The police spokesperson noted that investigations showed no signs of violence or wounds on the body and no foul play was suspected.

He said the corpse had been moved to the state specialist hospital morgue where autopsy would be conducted after which it would be released to the family for burial.

A delegation comprising state Police Commissioner Muhtari Ibrahim, the Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development Abdulfatah Ahmad, Security Adviser to the Governor Yinka Aluko, Mike Fields and John Sawyer (both Zimbabwean farmers) and other staff of the farm visited the place where Chisohm was found dead.