Locals shocked after body found hanged in Higham woods (From News Shopper)

Locals shocked after body found hanged in Higham woods

1:13pm Thursday 2nd February 2012 in News By Kelly Smale

PEOPLE who live and work in Higham have expressed their shock after a man’s body was found hanged in woods.

A dog walker made the grim discovery yesterday morning (February 1) at around 9am in woods to the west of the A289, just off the Crutches Lane.

The dead man is believed to be the boyfriend, and prime suspect in the murder of, student Rudo Mawere in Dublin last weekend.

Kent Police have yet to formally identify the man but he is believed to be Jasper Taruvinga who also used the alias Jason Dube.

Manjinder Singh runs Meadows Village Convenient Store, in Forge Lane, Higham, with his 31-year-old brother, Harjinder Singh.

Manjinder said: “Someone came in the shop yesterday and told me a body had been found in the woods. It’s shocking.

“Why chose this place? He must have thought it is a quiet area.”

“After 7pm it’s quiet and everyone goes in doors. After 8.30pm nobody goes out.

“It's a nice area. We love living here."

Jean Coleman has lived in Higham for 45 years and says someone else killed themselves in the woods a few years ago.

The 70-year-old said: “It’s shocking and nasty but these things happen.

“It’s unusual because it’s a nice village to live in with a good community.”

She added: “We don’t usually get any trouble. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

Denise Graves has worked at Higham Post Office, in Hermitage Road, for nine years.

She said: “It’s quite shocking and peculiar really. I can’t believe it. Why pick Higham?

“We never hear of anything like that around here, it’s very quiet.”