Bloemfontein -
A Trompsburg man was found guilty on Monday of killing an elderly farming couple near Trompsburg last year.
The Bloemfontein High Court found Moeketsi Hlaasa, 27, guilty on five charges, which included the murders of Johannes Fourie, 71, and his wife Cecilia, 72, of the Knoppe farm.
Hlaasa pleaded guilty to all five charges, including a count of housebreaking with intention to commit robbery, and charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
In a statement read to court, Hlaasa told how he and co-accused Nkululeko Mvumvu, 26, waited for the couple in the farmhouse on Sunday afternoon on September 9 last year.
When the couple arrived and entered the house through the kitchen the men attacked them with an axe and spade. Hlaasa said after the initial attack in the kitchen they dragged the couple to the bedroom where the safe was.
They asked the couple for the safe keys but they did not know where it was immediately. Hlaasa searched Cecilia Fourie’s handbag and found a pistol.
Hlaasa said he handed the firearm to Mvumvu, who shot her in the knees after again asking again for the safe keys.
Hlaasa said Mvumvu shot Johannes Fourie in the head at the time, the court heard.
The men eventually got an angle grinder to open the safe, in which they found R2000 and firearms. They took the money and two handguns.
Hlaasa said they then left the house and burned their clothes and shoes on their way to town, because they were full of blood.
Judge Faan Hancke found Hlaasa guilty on all charges.
Earlier on Monday, Hlaasa’s case was separated from that of Mvumvu and another accused, Phineas Mothibi, 29.
Hancke postponed their case to Tuesday for trial. Hlaasa’s trial was also postponed to Tuesday. - Sapa