The sister of late Limpopo business tycoon Theophilus Mphosi says independent forensic reports have confirmed that he was poisoned, but the state's delay in releasing its pathology report is obstructing ‘what has now become a murder investigation’.

A News24 report notes that Mphosi's sister, Moditswi Ramokoto, yesterday said ‘independent forensic reports have conclusively ruled out any natural causes and confirmed foul play’.

‘It is now even more critical to receive the state pathologist's report to officially establish the cause of death and move forward with the murder investigation,’ she added.

Limpopo Department of Health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana said the state pathologist's report on Mphosi had been finalised and handed over to the police.

Shikwambana denied that the Polokwane Forensic Pathology Service had unduly delayed finalising the report, which he said involved ‘a lot of technicalities’, a number of tests, analysis and consultation with experts.

The report follows urgent legal action by Romokoto, who last year obtained an order for her brother's exhumation in the Limpopo High Court (Polokwane).

In response to Romokoto's urgent application, Judge Gerrit Muller ordered local health and municipal authorities to grant the permit needed for the disinterment of Mphosi's remains within two days of his ruling ‘for the purpose of removal for a forensic examination of the mortal remains of the deceased and to assist in a criminal investigation’.

According to Romokoto's statement, the final report has yet to be provided to the police.

Full News24 report