Missing Lesotho soldier found dead with gunshot wounds to head

The body of a missing Lesotho soldier who had been missing in the Maluti Mountains since the weekend has been recovered.

The body was found on Wednesday afternoon but police only confirmed today after he was positively identified.

It has been repatriated to Lesotho.

National police spokesman Major-General Vuyisile Ngesi said the discovery brings to five, the number of people shot and killed in the Maluti Mountains last week.

"The search party by members of the SAPS, South African National Defence Force, national investigation unit and our Lesotho counterparts managed to locate the body of the missing man. We are now investigating five cases of murder and two cases of attempted murder," Ngesi said.

The attempted murder case refer to two Lesotho nationals who managed to escape with gunshot wounds over the weekend.

The soldier had travelled with them to go locate more than 50 cattle that had gone missing from Lesotho.

It is suspected that the five men were killed by South African cattle raiders.

The soldier's body was found in a rough terrain that is inaccessible by a vehicle, causing his body to be airlifted by the Lesotho army helicopter.

He was said to have suffered eight gunshot wounds with five being in the head.

Police said the situation in the area remained volatile with threats of an all breakout war between livestock owners on the two sides of the fence.