Two Eastern Cape brothers were arrested after their aunt was killed and her body burned in Tyusha village outside King William’s Town last month.
The suspects, aged 13 and 27 respectively, appeared in the Zwelitsha magistrate's court on Monday to face charges of robbery and murder.
They were arrested earlier this month.
“The deceased was strangled and her body burnt by her nephews after allegations that she chased away the 27-year-old from home for selling her cow,” said police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci.
“He later returned to kill her and also robbed her of an undisclosed amount of money. Quick police investigation led to the arrest of the two suspects.”
According to a police source, who cannot be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media, a report of a missing person was opened at Izele police station after the woman, a nurse working in Cape Town, went missing on January 1.
“She came back from Cape Town to follow a report that her nephew had sold her cow,” said the source.
Brothers, 13 and 27, arrested near KWT for aunt's brutal murder over cow
Image: SUHAIB SALEM
Two Eastern Cape brothers were arrested after their aunt was killed and her body burned in Tyusha village outside King William’s Town last month.
The suspects, aged 13 and 27 respectively, appeared in the Zwelitsha magistrate's court on Monday to face charges of robbery and murder.
They were arrested earlier this month.
“The deceased was strangled and her body burnt by her nephews after allegations that she chased away the 27-year-old from home for selling her cow,” said police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci.
“He later returned to kill her and also robbed her of an undisclosed amount of money. Quick police investigation led to the arrest of the two suspects.”
According to a police source, who cannot be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media, a report of a missing person was opened at Izele police station after the woman, a nurse working in Cape Town, went missing on January 1.
“She came back from Cape Town to follow a report that her nephew had sold her cow,” said the source.
Mother whose children’s bodies were burnt beyond recognition remains in custody
According to the source, a partial human skull was found on a gravel road near the village, which led to the opening of a murder case.
The 27-year old suspect was arrested through an informer network and he also “implicated himself to the killing of the woman”.
“A confession was obtained from him after another source implicated a 13- year old,” the source said.
“The teenager also made a confession in the presence of his mother and gave details that led to the recovery of a jaw with teeth from the crime scene.”
He said it was also discovered that the suspects allegedly stole her wallet and withdrew R15,000 from the deceased's bank account.
“The suspect went to buy five litres of petrol and asked the 13-year-old to help him carry their aunt's body with a mattress. He later poured petrol on her body and burnt her beyond recognition.”
Soci said the 27-year-old suspect has been remanded in custody pending a formal bail application, while the minor was released to the custody of her mother.
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