Moroccan diplomat killed in South Africa

PRETORIA, South Africa – A Moroccan consul in the South African capital Pretoria has been found dead in a pool of blood at his guesthouse, his embassy said Tuesday, October 7.

Police are still investigating how and why Fatmi Noureddine was killed. An autopsy is being carried out.

“The police are very cautious” a clearly distraught diplomatic colleague told the Agence France-Presse. “It has to be a robbery.”

“He did not turn up for work at the normal time, which seemed strange because he was always on time. His phone was off.”

Colleagues went to Noureddine’s guesthouse, on climbing the stairs to his residence and “found him in a pool of blood,” the official said.

A cell phone was said to be missing from the scene, but it was not known if he had any money at home.

More than 40 people are murdered in South Africa each day and last year South Africans reported more than 300,000 burglaries at residential and business properties, according to police data. – Rappler.com