Two suspects, William Sejane and Lucky Motaung, have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Free State farmer Dave Wessels.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain Loraine Earle said in a statement the incident occurred in Viljoenskroon in October 2020.
The men appeared before the Kroonstad Regional Court on Friday, where they were found guilty of murder and house robbery.
Stolen vehicle, bank cards and arrests
Earle said Sejane, 57, and Motaung, 54, were each sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and seven years for house robbery.
Both sentences will run concurrently.
The duo attacked Wessels in his home after gaining entry through a window.
They tied his hands and feet, wrapped his head in plastic, and fled with his Toyota bakkie and other household items.
Sejane and Motaung were arrested after the Provincial Organised Crime Unit activated a 24-hour SAPS plan, which led to the recovery of the stolen vehicle at a workshop in Orkney.
Wessels’ bank cards were also traced through transactions in Orkney, Klerksdorp, and Potchefstroom. Earle said Motaung was linked to the purchases through surveillance footage.
Upon arrest, police discovered that Sejane had been out on parole for 16 months after serving a life sentence for a similar crime.
“Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane commended the investigating officer and all involved role-players for their dedication. She stressed that the sentences send a clear message that those who commit violent crimes will face the full might of the law,” said Earle.
