Three farmers, including a teenager, have been arrested in South Africa after authorities allegedly discovered the decomposed bodies of two women in a pigsty on one of the defendants’ farms.
Maria Makgato, 47, and Lucia Ndlovu, 34, were discovered dead on a farm in Limpopo, South Africa, according to The Associated Press, TimesLive, and DispatchLive.
According to reports, farm owner Zachariah Olivier, 60, Adriaan De Wet, 19, and William Musora, 45, have been arrested in connection with the murders. (The suspects’ names and spellings vary significantly throughout the outlets. The Associated Press source refers to De Wet as Andrian Rudolph De Wet, while TimesLive spells Musora’s name as Musoro).
They all face two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm, citing the Associated Press, DispatchLive and TimesLive. Musora, a Zimbabwean, is also facing an immigration prosecution after reportedly entering the country unlawfully, according to TimesLive and the Associated Press.
According to local radio station Jacaranda FM, TimesLive and the Associated Press, who cite authorities, the killings occurred in August.
While the exact dates are unknown, TimesLive believes the two ladies went missing on August 17, and News24 reports they were killed on the same day, but a more concrete timeline of events was not immediately available.
According to the Associated Press, authorities claim the victims trespassed on Olivier’s farm after a dairy company truck unloaded potentially expired items. According to officials, the women attempted to collect the things.
Makgato and Ndlovu were allegedly shot and killed, according to Limpopo police, TimesLive. TimesLive and the Associated Press stated that a man with them survived the alleged attack and fled, crying for help.
According to the Associated Press, authorities discovered the women’s rotting bodies in the pigsty after being contacted by the man.
“Both women had gunshot wounds, and a 47-year-old foreign national guy who was accompanying them was wounded and hospitalized. “Police investigations are ongoing,” Limpopo police spokeswoman Brig Hlulani Mashaba told TimesLive.
Authorities said that the victims’ corpses were given to pigs, according to the Associated Press, Jacaranda FM, and local outlet News24.
“This is one of the most disturbing and inhumane acts in our province, and we will ensure that those responsible face the full force of the law,” Thembi Hadebe, provincial police commissioner, told TimesLive.
“Remember that the victims were killed while they were looking for food,” said Sindisiwe Chikunga, Minister for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, according to Jacaranda FM.
It was not immediately known whether the individuals had entered pleas.
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