A young gay man has been murdered and allegedly raped in Nyanga in what his family believes to be a hate crime.
The lifeless body of 22-year-old Lonwabo Jack was discovered on the pavement in Mau Mau, Nyanga. According to IOL, Lonwabo was openly gay and had been celebrating his birthday with friends when the horrific incident occurred.
His family are coming to terms with the devastating incident and are now contemplating whether this was a random act of violence or a hate crime based on his sexual orientation.
Speaking to the Daily Voice, Monwabisi Jack says that his nephew was openly gay and was last seen with his friends on Saturday evening.
“He was celebrating his birthday, and he went with his friends to Mau Mau. We don’t know what happened to him because when we got to the scene, none of his friends was there,” he stated.
Lonwabo Jack was brutally stabbed in the heart, but none of his belongings were taken, which lead his family to the speculation of a hate crime.
“Lonwabo didn’t deserve to die like that. He was such a nice man who was down to earth. What has confused us as the family is whether he was killed because he was gay or not because nothing was taken from him,” Monwabisi said.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana has confirmed that they are currently investigating the incident, but no arrests have been made.
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