Rustenburg – A couple, allegedly involved in the murder of two elderly people in the Free State, was arrested in the Eastern Cape, police said.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu on Friday said the couple was arrested on Thursday night in Gqeberha, while they were on their way to Kariega, previously known as Uitenhage.
She said two people were found murdered at a house in Oranjeville in the Free State.
"The body of Johannes van Vuuren, 80, was found in the courtyard with multiple stab wounds while the body of Dorothia van Staden, 58, was found in the garage. Mrs Van Staden sustained multiple head and body injuries. The house was ransacked and several household items including TV sets, computer, etc were missing," she said.
"It is further alleged that when Mrs Van Staden’s husband’s futile attempts to contact his wife throughout the day had failed, a relative was sent to the house to investigate and that is when the gruesome discovery was made. His stepdaughter, her husband and their 10-year-old daughter, who live in the same house, were missing. An alert for their vehicle, a gold BMW and registration number, was immediately circulated.”
Members of Gqeberha K9 unit and Flying Squad received and followed up on information that the vehicle was heading towards Gqeberha.
"The vehicle, a gold BMW 3 series was spotted on the N2 near Coega. Members followed it and successfully pulled it over.
"Two people, a 36-year-old female and her husband, aged 34, were arrested and detained for two counts of murder and house robbery. Their 10-year-old daughter was taken to a place of safety. The vehicle was impounded for further investigation," Naidu said.
They were expected to appear in the Heilbron Magistrate’s Court on September 27.
In another separate incident in Gqeberha, a wheelchair-bound man and his son were gunned down in Zwide.
"It is alleged that the wife returned from work at her residence in Masengane Street, Zwide, when she discovered that her husband and son were shot. The motive for the murders are yet to be established.
"The victims were identified as Mlamli Monakali, 52, and Aphiwe Monakali, 23," Captain Gerda Swart said.
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