Free State doctor and grandson appear in court for murder after body found on farm

An 80-year-old doctor and his 17-year-old grandson appeared in the Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court in the Free State on Thursday. 

The medical doctor and his grandson face several charges, including murder, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, reckless endangerment, and contraventions of the Firearms Control Act. 

The teenager cannot be named because he is a minor. 

The provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mojalefa Senokoatsane, said the duo were arrested by the police after the discovery of a man’s body that was buried in a shallow grave on the doctor’s farm. 

“In line with the Child Justice Act, the minor was released into the care of his guardian after his first court appearance,” Senokoatsane said. 

The doctor will be applying for bail, the court heard. 

“The NPA in the Free State reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that those accused of serious crimes are brought before the court, while upholding the principles of justice and the rights of all parties involved,” Senokoatsane said. 

At the time of the arrests, the provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Montantsi Makhele confirmed DNA results were taken to identify the body, which was in an advanced stage of decomposition.  

Police stated this was an extremely serious and sensitive case and urged the public to refrain from spreading rumours.

"We appeal to the community to allow the investigation to unfold in an evidence-driven manner and to refrain from spreading unverified information that could compromise the case," Makhele said. 

The provincial secretary of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Bosanku Msimanga, claimed this matter is a clear case of racial violence and systemic failure as members protested, demanding transparency and accountability. 

robin.francke@iol.co.za

IOL