Cape Town – Four suspects, aged between 16 and 19, have reportedly been arrested for the murder of 79-year-old farmer Theo Bekker in Mpumalanga.
The incident occurred on Sunday.
According to The Citizen, the suspects attacked Bekker outside his home, beat him with an iron bar, and demanded valuables before forcing him and his wife inside.
They fled the scene with three firearms and the couple’s vehicle.
“The deceased was injured with an unknown object on his face and as a result, he succumbed to his injuries.
“He was certified dead on the scene by medical personnel. The wife Marlinda (Bekker) was then taken to hospital for medical treatment.
“The house was ransacked and the suspects managed to make off with an undisclosed amount of cash, a .22 pistol, 38 special revolver, a shotgun and the couple’s Renault Kwid,” the report quoted police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala as saying.
The suspects later overturned the stolen vehicle in Free State Province, but they managed to flee before being arrested.
A farmer in Balfour has been tortured and most brutally killed, and his wife is in a serious condition in hospital. 4 Perpetrators were apprehended after they rolled the stolen vehicle near Villiers pic.twitter.com/zo4LljWbnh
— Theo de Jager (@TheoDJager) July 30, 2023
Two of the stolen firearms were found in their possession, and the shotgun was left at the accident scene.
The suspects will face charges of murder, assault, and robbery and are scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.
The community member and local police who contributed to the swift arrests were praised by the Provincial Commissioner of the Saps in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela.
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Picture: Twitter/@TheoDJager
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
