POLICE in South Africa have released CCTV images in connection with the murder of Irish aid worker John Curran.
Dublin native Mr Curran, 60, was found dead with multiple stab wounds at around 9am last Wednesday, November 7 at his apartment on Buitengracht Street in Cape Town.
The retired school principal had held a senior position the local Mellon Educate charity, but left the organisation in September.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) have now released four pictures of a "person of interest" taken at around 4am on the same morning of the murder and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
In a statement, a SAPS spokesman said: "Cape Town Central Detectives seek the assistance of the public in identifying the person depicted in the attached photos.
"If you know the whereabouts of the person in the attached pictures, or can assist with information that will lead to his arrest, kindly contact Detective Warrant Officer Shaun Bardien on 021 467 6320, 021 467 8001 or 073 220 0653 of Cape Town Central police, as he might be able to assist in the investigation of a murder case. Alternatively Crime Stop can be contacted on 08600 10111."
RT#sapsWC Cape Town Central Detectives seek the assistance in identifying person showned in the attached photos regarding murder case. Anyone with info that will lead to his arrest, can contact WO Shaun Bardien: 021 467 6320/8001 or 073 220 0653. TMhttps://t.co/XiMAD9wLAG pic.twitter.com/bo56fxEJW5
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) 13 November 2018
Detectives confirmed no suspect had been arrested but insisted they were working "around the clock" to get to the bottom of Mr Curran's killing, which they are treating as murder.
The Irishman's phone is missing and investigators have not ruled out the possibility that the murder occurred during a robbery of his property.
A knife was found at the scene and forensic analysis for DNA has been conducted on various samples taken from the suspected murder weapon, police said.
Mellon Educate, where Mr Curran had until recently served as Director of Education, is a non-profit organisation (NPO) helping to bring education to poor local children and to house the homeless.
The 60-year-old had previously worked as the principal of Good Shepherd National School in Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin for 15 years.
After leaving the school, he worked for the Irish Primary Principal’s Network (IPPN) until his retirement in 2006.
Mr Curran continued to work for the IPPN in a freelance consultancy capacity until 2016.
He had been due to return home to Ireland within two weeks at the time of his killing in Cape Town.
