The four people who were arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Mpumalanga farmer, 79-year-old Theo Frederik Bekker and attempted murder of his wife are expected to appear in the Balfour Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The National Prosecuting Authority said 18-year-old Siyanda Gift Ziqubu, and 18-year-old Kgahliso Motoung appeared in court on Thursday alongside two juveniles, who cannot be named. The matter was postponed to Monday.
Ziqubu, Motoung and the two juvenile co-accused are facing charges including murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, pointing of a firearm, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.
The NPA said the case was postponed last week for legal representation to be arranged, and the accused were remanded in custody pending the outcome of their bail application.
“It is alleged that on July 30, the accused acted for a common purpose and went to the victims’ place in Grootvlei, in Balfour. On their arrival, they attacked the deceased and demanded money and a firearm from him,” according to NPA Mpumalanga regional spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa.
“It is further alleged that they suffocated the deceased’s wife with a plastic bag and assaulted her several times. They then robbed the victims of an undisclosed amount of money, a firearm, and a vehicle which they drove away with.”
The four were in Free State, just hours after the gruesome murder and attempted murder in Mpumalanga. They were arrested after the Bekkers vehicle, a Renault Kwid stolen from the crime scene, overturned in Villiers, Free State.
Police were alerted about the vehicle crash and that the occupants were fleeing the scene, and the police rushed to the area.
While searching the vehicle, police discovered that the firearm in the car, and the Renault Kwid belonged to the victims of the murder and robbery in Mpumalanga.
Nyuswa said the NPA will oppose bail, due to the seriousness of the offence.
IOL