Justice may finally be served in the case of illegal immigrant Hameed Manesi, who died mysteriously in the Lindela repatriation centre.
Police have confirmed that they have launched investigations into the validity of claims by the Department of Home Affairs, which administers Lindela, that Manesi's death in March had been due to natural causes.
On Monday the West Rand SAPS were attempting to obtain one last statement before they could apply for the exhumation of the body of Manesi, a Malawian immigrant who was given a pauper's burial after his body lay unidentified for a month.
A police spokesperson said on Monday that the new investigation would also extend into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ikechukwu Obiakor, a Nigerian immigrant who was allegedly beaten to death by Lindela security guards about the same time that Manesi died.
Six suspects face murder charges over Obiakor's death, and will appear in court again on August 20.
The new probe has cast aspersions over claims by the Department of Home Affairs, which last week circulated a photograph of Manesi's corpse showing no injuries.
A photograph of the body, taken in the Krugersdorp mortuary and later shown to The Star, showed apparent bruises on his face.
Police said the aim of an inquiry would be to get the bodies of the two immigrants exhumed and new post mortems conducted, to determine the causes of death.
If Manesi's body showed signs that he had been tortured, police would open a murder docket.