Durban - Mystery surrounds the discovery of the bodies of a young couple from Durban in a flat in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania after the woman failed to turn up at the restaurant where she worked.
Death notices and a memorial service notice were published in The Mercury for Hylton William Hines, 34, and Roxanne Hillier, 27, by the two families.
They apparently died in October, but the results of the police autopsy are still outstanding.
A diplomatic source said the bodies were in a state of semi-decomposition when they were discovered on October 15, apparently by Hillier’s employer, the manager of the Waterfront restaurant in Dar es Salaam, when she did not arrive for work.
Two days later Freddie Hillier, Roxanne’s father, said on Facebook: “Her colleagues went to her apartment to look for her.
“Upon gaining entry, Roxanne and Hylton were found dead in their bed. Police are investigating. We hope to find out what happened when we get to Tanzania.”
There has been no news since.
Hylton’s sister, Jeanene Hines, posted, on behalf of both families, on Facebook thanking friends and relatives for their support.
“It goes without saying these two souls were loved and appreciated more than we will ever know... we love them both dearly.”
The two, who had been together for five years, were cremated in Tanzania last week.
Hines worked as a diving instructor in the city.
A memorial service would be held at St Luke’s United Congregational Church in Glenashley on Tuesday, starting at noon.
The death of Hillier was another nightmare for her family after she was involved in a controversy in the United Arab Emirates in 2009.
Hillier spent three months in a Sharjah prison after she and her employer were arrested on baseless charges of “sexual relations outside of marriage”.
This came after police raided their Khor Fakken workplace and apparently found them alone together, which was against the law.
According to the Gulf News Hillier’s boss was released after the case went to appeal.
“Medical tests came back negative for sexual intercourse on both parties. However, Hillier lost on appeal and remained in jail,” the publication reported at the time.
The Telegraph newspaper reported that UAE authorities claimed she was having an affair with her boss, an Emirati, “who was downstairs at the time repairing the shop’s dive equipment”. She was also accused of being alone in the same room with him, also technically a crime in Sharjah.
On Monday the management at the restaurant in Dar es Salaam refused to comment and referred all queries “to the authorities”.
A source in Dar es Salaam said the South African High Commission in Dar es Salaam was awaiting the results of the autopsy and that both families had travelled to Dar es Salaam last week for the funerals.
Hillier’s family, still evidently shaken by their loss, declined to comment, saying it was “a very touchy subject”.
In a short phone conversation a relative said: “We’ve got a memorial tomorrow (today), okay? And I’m going to speak on behalf of my aunt and my cousins. It’s not a very good time…”
The Mercury